Aster DM Healthcare partners with Skye Air for drone delivery of medical samples, medicines

The trial run successfully kicked off in Bengaluru on May 14 from Aster RV Hospital at JP Nagar to Aster Clinics in the city with the Beyond Visual Line of Sight BVLOS carrying the medicines and diagnostic samples, executives of the two firms said in a press conference.

Aster DM Healthcare has signed a partnership alliance with Skye Air Mobility, a drone-technology-based logistics firm, for drone delivery of medical samples and medicines between the Aster Hospital and clinics in Bengaluru. The trial run successfully kicked off in Bengaluru on May 14 from Aster RV Hospital at JP Nagar to Aster Clinics in the city with the 'Beyond Visual Line of Sight' (BVLOS) carrying the medicines and diagnostic samples, executives of the two firms said in a press conference. According to them, in the last three days 40 flights were taken up successfully. After the successful completion of the seven-day BVLOS trials, Skye Air targets to undertake approximately 80 flights a month, each carrying blood samples and medicines for Aster Clinics. The drone-led delivery system is executed through a designated Skye Air cold chain professional to first load the medicine and diagnostic sample in a temperature-controlled payload box. This payload box is then loaded in the drone which is then directed by drone pilots at the command centre through a predetermined route to a fixed landing pad. ''These trials aim to demonstrate a faster supply chain for sample collection by effectively using drone delivery technology. The technology illustrates the cost effectiveness and reduction in delivery time,'' Skye Air Mobility chief executive officer Ankit Kumar said.

He said the pilot project will initially operate between Astra clinics and Astra Hospital within a radius of three kilometres within the approved air corridor. He added that the set-up costs Rs 16 lakh and the drones will go for maintenance every 100 hours. Aster CMI Hospital chief executive officer Ramesh Kumar said they have deployed two drones, one for delivering products and the second one as a back-up. Chief Operating Officer Prashanth N said there will not be an additional charge on the patients availing the service but it is an internal arrangement for swift delivery of samples and medicines.

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