The trial took place within a radius of 15-km at Gauribidanur which is located at the outskirts of Bengaluru. The two variants of drones that were successfully tested-were Medcopter X4 and Medcopter X8. Deliveries of various pharma products of up to 2kg load were tested at the designated area for distances between 2-7 kilometres. An average of 3.5 kilometres distance got covered in 5-7 minutes. Two different modes of deliveries were part of the trial – tested — landing of copter with the shipment and tethered lowering of shipment.
This successful pilot run builds hope of drone delivery of medicines beyond-line-of-sight and delivery of pharma shipments in fastest possible time in areas with improper road connectivity or those that are situated in dense urban localities. This trial also builds hope of delivery of medicines during pandemics, calamities and natural disasters when logistical and infrastructural challenges are at height. This tech-enabled solution is a measure of increasing access to healthcare.