NEW DELHI: India could get its first dedicated medical unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) corridor before year-end. This as India’s premier medical institute, AIIMS, could get a drone corridor with its extension campus at Haryana’s Jhajjar before the year end.
If that happens, rushing life-saving supplies from the parent campus to AIIMS Jhajjar – located around 50-km apart with a drive time of about 1.5 hours between the two depending on traffic – will be a matter of minutes.
A senior Aviation Ministry official said the Ministry and Airports Authority of India have approved this plan. “AIIMS is awaiting some other approvals. Once that happens, test flights will be carried out. If all goes well, regular (drone) flights may start in about six months,” the official added.
One of the top officials from AIIMS, who did not want to be quoted, also confirmed this. “We are waiting for an approval from Delhi Police. Once we have it, the drone facility will be launched by the Health Minister,” he said. Initially, the official added, drones will be used to transport blood samples, blood products and medicines. (The Times of India)
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