Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Mar 25: In a groundbreaking pilot study, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has successfully demonstrated the use of drones for transporting human corneas, potentially transforming eye care delivery, especially in rural areas. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare announced the study’s success on Tuesday, highlighting its potential to revolutionize medical logistics.
The study explored the feasibility of using drones to transport sensitive ophthalmic biomaterials such as human corneas and amniotic membrane grafts from peripheral collection centers to tertiary hospitals for transplantation. The pilot was conducted in Sonipat and Jhajjar, Haryana, ensuring safe and efficient aerial transport of the corneal tissue.
The drone successfully carried corneal tissue from Dr. Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital (Sonipat centre) to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), AIIMS Jhajjar, and subsequently to AIIMS New Delhi. The journey, which usually takes 2 to 2.5 hours by road, was completed in just 40 minutes by drone. Throughout the flight, the drone maintained optimal conditions to preserve the cornea’s integrity. Upon arrival, the cornea was evaluated and successfully transplanted, marking a major milestone in medical logistics.
This initiative was part of ICMR’s i-DRONE project, which was originally launched during the Covid-19 pandemic to deliver vaccines to remote areas. The cornea transport study was conducted in collaboration with AIIMS New Delhi, Dr. Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital, and the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Secretary of the Department of Health Research (DHR) and Director General of ICMR, emphasized that the study enhances patient access to timely transplants, reducing the burden on overburdened tertiary hospitals. He further noted that drone-based healthcare logistics represent the future of medical supply chains, aligning with the Prime Minister’s vision of a self-reliant India powered by innovation.
The i-DRONE initiative has previously demonstrated success in delivering medical supplies across India, including Covid-19 vaccines in Northeast India, medications in Himachal Pradesh, cancer surgery samples in Karnataka, TB sputum samples in Telangana, and blood components in the NCR region.
Piyush Srivastava, Additional Secretary and Senior Economic Advisor at the Ministry of Civil Aviation, described the collaboration between the health and aviation sectors as a testament to technology-driven social impact. He stressed that drones offer scalable solutions for delivering medical supplies in geographically challenging areas, strengthening India's healthcare infrastructure.
Researchers aim to document operational workflows, technical challenges, and best practices to integrate drones into routine medical logistics, particularly for time-sensitive and temperature-sensitive biomaterials like human corneas. The study’s findings will help shape future protocols and policies for aerial transport in healthcare.
Prof. M. Srinivas, Director of AIIMS New Delhi, highlighted the critical need for corneal transplants in India, where millions suffer from corneal blindness. He noted that drone-based transport could be a game-changer in ensuring equitable access to vision-restoring surgeries, particularly in underserved regions.
With its success, this study sets the stage for wider adoption of drone technology in healthcare, ensuring faster, safer, and more efficient medical deliveries across India.