ICMR unveils guidelines for drone usage in healthcare sector

"The drone type should be selected according to the geographical terrain. The drone path should avoid water bodies and deep forests (If possible). The payload should also be below the maximum level if difficult terrains," said ICMR while releasing the Guidance Document for use of drones in Healthcare during the Bharat Drone Mahotsav 2022.

New Delhi: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has suggested avoiding using drones in healthcare delivery during harsh environmental conditions. "The drone type should be selected according to the geographical terrain. The drone path should avoid water bodies and deep forests (If possible). The payload should also be below the maximum level if difficult terrains," said ICMR while releasing the Guidance Document for use of Drones in Healthcare during the Bharat Drone Mahotsav 2022.

It further said that the drones should be periodically serviced and maintained. The use of Drones in healthcare service has been started during the Covid19 pandemic as the ICMR, Health Ministry, as well as Civil Aviation Ministry, joined hands to deliver Covid19 vaccines in far-flung areas with a lack of transportation and communication facilities.

The ICMR initiated a pilot project in the Northeastern States of Manipur and Nagaland bordering Myanmar to assess the feasibility of delivering Covid19 vaccines and other medical supplies through drones in October 2021.

"Covid19 vaccination drive under Har Ghar Dastak campaign gained a renewed vigor following this initiative. In the future, drones are expected to play wider roles by offering a time-efficient mode for delivering life-saving medications to far-flung and remote locations in India," said Samiran Panda, additional director general and head, epidemiology and communicable disease division, ICMR.

The guidance document has been developed on the basis of field experience from Manipur and Nagaland and on the experience of conducting pilot projects and detailed discussion between the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Airport Authority of India (AAI) and the ICMR.

The guidelines said that considering the safety and security of the drones and the drone operators, support of the police department, and information to the army regiment posted in a particular district is required while sorties for healthcare delivery are planned. It said that a DGCA-approved type certified drone model having a valid unique identification number (UIN) should be used for the delivery of medical supplies.

Referring to carrier boxes in drones, the guidelines said that the vaccines and other temperature-sensitive items should be transported in insulation boxes with the requisite temperature control. "The non-temperature sensitive medicines can be transferred through the clean cotton box," the guidelines said.