Remember the captivating remote-controlled flying camera scene from the Bollywood movie ‘Three Idiots’ (2009)? Certainly, those fascinating drones fuelled industry’s imagination to develop many applications in healthcare and commerce.
Cut to 2025! On November 20, The Economic Times reported that NIT Rourkela secured a patent for an AI-powered Indian autonomous drone system, which can autonomously navigate complex environments, optimize delivery routes, and adapt to real-time changes, making healthcare logistics faster and more precise![1]
Historically, drones or UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) were developed for military use. Today UAVs can be remotely piloted or autonomous (operating by pre-programmed flight paths, GPS, and AI-based navigation). With peak flying distances of about 200 km, payload designs of up to 350 kg, and lower carbon footprints than fuel-guzzling road vehicles available among the different models currently, medical drones can be ambulances in the future!
The Medical Drones Market Size is expected to grow from USD 360.48 million in 2024 to USD 1697.55 million by 2034 at a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 16.8% according to a Polaris Market Research study.[14] Read on to find out why drone technology has drummed up such hope and commercial interest!
Drones in healthcare feature in a number of imaginative uses:
Medicine Delivery
Drones are used in Medicine to carry and deliver medicines to remote, inaccessible locations, for instance, rural, or hilly areas. In Nov 2021, in a first for India, a drone AQUILA X2 was used in Meghalaya's West Khasi Hills for the delivery of medicines. It covered a distance of 25 km in less than 25 minutes, vis-à-vis 3 hours by road.[2]
Drone-enhanced Emergency Medical Services
Delivery drones are used to transport blood bags, COVID-19 and other vaccines, emergency lifesavers like antivenom, emergency equipment, laboratory test kits and samples.
In 2021, the ‘Medicine from the Sky’ partnership initiative between the Telangana government, the World Economic Forum, NITI Aayog and HealthNet Global of the Apollo Hospitals group, delivered such healthcare supplies to remote regions of Telangana.[3]
‘The Rwanda Model’ for blood-products-on-demand managed by Zipline drones in Rwanda and Ghana are a couple of such success stories.[4]
In October 2021, the Indian Council of Medical Research’s (ICMR) i-DRONE initiative, along with IIT Guwahati and the North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC), ensured the COVID-19 vaccine reached remote areas of the North East of India.[5]
In an enterprising case of drone use in emergency services, The Lancet reported a Swedish study in 2023, where UAVs delivered Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) for managing cardiac arrests faster than ambulances in 67% cases.[6]
Transplant organ transport
In 2019, the University of Maryland successfully conducted the first-ever transplant of a human organ (a donor kidney) delivered by a drone.[7]
In March 2022, a drone successfully transported corneal tissue from an eye hospital in Sonipat, to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), AIIMS Jhajjar, and then to AIIMS New Delhi. The distance was covered in around 40 minutes versus almost 2.5 hours via road. The drone maintained optimal conditions for specimen integrity, leading the way to a successful transplant surgery.[8]
Remote Elder Care and Telemedicine
A study on Elder care in Malaysia demonstrated AI-assisted smart pillbox management and replenishment of low inventory via UAVs. [9] Thus, UAVs can act as adjuncts to Telemedicine and Remote Consultation services.
Disaster management
In poor weather and disasters, and even on battlefields, UAVs can provide actual delivery of relief material like food and medicine, and also data collection and surveillance benefits. NDTV reported drone use in emergency services for the last-mile delivery of relief material during the floods in Andhra Pradesh in 2024.[10]
UAVs can also outdo lifeguards in providing lifesavers speedily in floods or drowning emergencies.
The benefits of drones in the future are projected as:
Delivery of medicines, lab kits and samples in intra as well as inter-hospital settings, or from pharmacy to patient.
Remote Triage: For isolated patients, drones can deliver a rapid response by providing simple diagnostic sensors (blood pressure cuffs, pulse oximeters) and communication terminals, enabling a doctor to conduct a virtual check-up and stabilize the patient before a ground team arrives.[11]
Surveillance: During outbreaks or disaster events, UAVs can be used to survey and map affected areas to aid public health interventions.
The drone technology field is constantly evolving.
Garuda Aerospace is the first drone company in India to get approvals from the Indian aviation regulator DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) for enabling its mission to impact one billion lives positively using affordable precision UAV technology. Brand Ambassador M.S. Dhoni got a drone pilot licence recently. Garuda even developed a drone called — DRONI![12]
On 16 October 2025, The Times of India reported that the DGCA is in an advanced stage of finalizing BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) rules for UAVs. The newly published Draft Civil Drone (Promotion and Regulation) Bill, 2025 provides details.[13]
Going ahead, drones can help humans better!
The ratio of the benefits to the cost of deployment is set to improve as UAVs, seen as leapfrog technology, require no major infrastructural development to start with.
The extended durability, endurance, range, battery life and safety features of drones will improve UAV commercialisation.
Proactively solving issues with regulations about the delivery of hazardous material and limiting potential for misuse, cold chain assurance for medical drones, BVLOS guidelines, and remote pilot licensing could speed up the adoption of UAV technology.
Training of drone operators and job creation in this regard should be planned ahead.
Drone distrust and privacy issues need to be solved by education and regulation.
What are medical drones?
Medical drones are unmanned aerial vehicles used in healthcare to transport medicines, vaccines, blood products, laboratory samples, and emergency medical equipment, particularly to remote or hard-to-reach areas.
How are drones used in healthcare delivery?
Drones are used for last-mile delivery of medicines and vaccines, transport of blood and diagnostic samples, emergency medical response, organ and tissue transport, and disaster relief operations where road access is limited or delayed.
Are medical drones safe for transporting medicines and organs?
Yes, medical drones are designed to maintain temperature control, stability, and secure handling of medical payloads. Studies and pilot programs have shown that drones can safely transport blood products, vaccines, and transplant organs when operated under regulated conditions.
Which countries are using drones in healthcare?
Several countries including India, Rwanda, Ghana, the United States, Sweden, and parts of Europe use medical drones for healthcare delivery, emergency services, and public health logistics through government programs and public-private partnerships.
Can drones be used in emergency medical situations?
Yes, emergency medical drones have been used to deliver defibrillators, antivenom, blood products, and first-response supplies. Research has shown that drones can reach patients faster than ambulances in certain emergency scenarios.
What are the limitations of drones in healthcare?
Limitations include regulatory restrictions, weather dependency, battery life, payload capacity, airspace safety concerns, and the need for trained operators. Privacy and misuse concerns also require strong governance and regulation.
References:
Economic Times. “NIT Rourkela Secures Patent for India’s First Autonomous Drone System for Real-Time Land Mapping.” The Economic Times. Accessed December 13, 2025. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/agriculture/nit-rourkela-secures-patent-for-indias-first-autonomous-drone-system-for-real-time-land-mapping/articleshow/125461065.cms
India Today. “Meghalaya Uses Drones to Deliver Medicines to Remote Health Centre in West Khasi Hills.” November 26, 2021. https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/meghalaya-drone-medicines-remote-health-centre-west-khasi-hills-1881399-2021-11-26
World Economic Forum. “How Drones Are Delivering Vaccines.” Accessed December 13, 2025. https://www.weforum.org/impact/drones-delivering-vaccines/
Stanford Social Innovation Review. “Zipline: Health Innovations in Africa.” Accessed December 13, 2025. https://ssir.org/articles/entry/zipline-health-innovations-africa
Times of India. “COVID Vaccine Delivery Through Drones Starts in Northeast.” October 5, 2021. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/covid-vaccine-delivery-through-drones-starts-in-northeast/articleshow/86755042.cms
The Lancet Digital Health. “Evaluation of Drone-Based Medical Delivery Systems.” The Lancet Digital Health (2023). https://www.thelancet.com/journals/landig/article/piis2589-7500(23)00161-9/fulltext
BBC News. “Medical Drones: The Future of Emergency Healthcare?” May 30, 2019. https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-48132595
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. “Press Release: Drone Successfully Transports Corneal Tissue to AIIMS New Delhi.” Accessed December 13, 2025. https://www.mohfw.gov.in/?q=en/pressrelease-236
ResearchGate. “The Smart Medicine Delivery Using UAV for Elderly Center.” Accessed December 13, 2025. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/369245259_The_Smart_Medicine_Delivery_Using_UAV_for_Elderly_Center
NDTV. “Andhra Pradesh Floods: How Drones Are Assisting in Relief, Rescue Ops in Vijayawada.” Accessed December 13, 2025. https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/andhra-pradesh-floods-how-drones-are-assisting-in-relief-rescue-ops-in-rain-hit-vijaywada-other-districts-6479717
DelveInsight. “Applications of Medical Drones in Healthcare.” Accessed December 13, 2025. https://www.delveinsight.com/blog/applications-of-medical-drones-in-healthcare
Aviation & Defence Universe. “MS Dhoni Completes Drone Pilot Training at DGCA-Approved Garuda Aerospace Training Organization.” Accessed December 13, 2025. https://www.aviation-defence-universe.com/ms-dhoni-completes-drone-pilot-training-at-dgca-approved-garuda-aerospace-remote-pilot-training-organization/
Times of India. “India in Advanced Stage of Finalising Beyond Visual Line of Sight Rules for Drones.” September 2024. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/in-advance-stage-of-finalising-beyond-visual-line-of-sight-rules-for-drones/articleshow/124595681.cms
Polaris Market Research. “Medical Drones Market Size Worth USD 1,697.55 Million by 2034.” Accessed December 13, 2025. https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/press-releases/medical-drones-market
