Blue Dart to test drones for vaccine delivery in Telangana

HYDERABAD: Not just new age startups, even established logistics players are betting big on the potential of vaccine delivery using drones in far-flung places of the country.
On Thursday, logistics player Blue Dart announced the setting up of a new entity, Blue Dart Med-Express Consortium, to pilot the usage of drones for delivery of vaccines and emergency medical supplies as part of Telangana’s ‘Medicine from the Sky’ project.
Telangana recently received permission to operate drones within the visual line of sight range as well as beyond visual line of sight for vaccine delivery in certain districts of the state.
Blue Dart is one of the seven entities selected for carrying out these experiments under the project, which was launched during late 2019 in partnership with World Economic Forum.
The company will pilot drones to find alternate logistics route to ensure accurate and reliable pickup and delivery of healthcare items.
As per the state government, the drone operations are expected to commence in the fourth week of May or early June, subject to clearances.
Ketan Kulkarni, CMO & head (business development), Blue Dart, said: “With efficient systems in place, it can help reduce the current logistics cost, making the healthcare logistics faster and efficient.”
Jayesh Ranjan, principal secretary, IT and industries department, said Telangana is one of the most proactive states adopting emerging technologies.