Garuda Aerospace partners with Narayana Health to transport biomedical samples via drones

This will enable the delivery of critical and emergency medical supplies including samples for diagnosis in times of high traffic and other challenging conditions, the city-based hospital chain said.

The use of drones in the healthcare industry is not new as last year in May, Aster DM Healthcare had partnered with Skye Air Mobility to deliver diagnostic samples and medicines in Bengaluru.

This was done to save time and improve outcomes for patients. Implementation of this measure will not only ensure timely diagnoses and treatments for patients but also provide assistance to those living in remote and underserved areas, the hospital chain said.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Garuda Aerospace used its emergency drones to deliver medicine and vaccines to hospitals in partnership with Swiggy. The company’s White Knight drones delivered essential medicines and vaccines to Bengaluru hospitals for the Indian Space Research Organisation in 2021, the drone company said.

Garuda founder Agnishwar Jayaprakash said, “Our aim is to improve access to critical medical supplies and support the delivery of high-quality healthcare to patients in need and in times of emergency.”

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Narayana Health founder Dr Devi Shetty said, “In the first phase, drones will be deployed in Bengaluru to transfer biomedical samples from Narayana Health City and HSR Layout on a daily basis. In the next one year, our network of 21 hospitals will have these services.”Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had flagged 100 ‘kisan’ drones in 100 villages across India with live tracking, data collection, and processing.

Garuda Aerospace has been the National Disaster Response Force’s drone partner since the pandemic. It has 400 drones and over 500 pilots across 84 cities. Recently, former captain of the Indian national cricket team Mahendra Singh Dhoni had unveiled a camera drone called Droni at The Global Drone Expo in Chennai and became the firm’s brand ambassador.