Rush Of Blood! Saving Lives Via Drones | Delhi News

New Delhi: The use of drones to deliver life-saving blood supplies to people in remote and inaccessible areas could be a ‘gamechanger’ in emergency situations, according to the preliminary findings of a study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
The experiments, held in May this year, involved three institutes — Delhi’s Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC), Greater Noida’s Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) and Noida’s Jaypee Institute of Information Technology (JIIT).
ICMR flew several units of whole blood samples and blood components to far-off places and difficult geographical areas for multiple days using a battery-operated drone. The study aimed to check the feasibility of drones for transferring blood bags and components as compared to conventional transportation methods, i.e., via road.
The study showed positive results, according to ICMR. Dr Sumit Aggarwal, scientist and programme officer, division of epidemiology and communicable diseases, ICMR, said the preliminary findings showed that throughout the drone operation, cell integrity remained intact and temperature required for blood and blood components was maintained. Besides, neither visible haemolysis nor clotting was observed during the trial.
Hence, he said, drones were found to be safer and less time-consuming compared to conventional methods of transportation of blood bags.
Dr Aggarwal said during the trial, the quality of blood was checked with change of speed, height, temperature, pressure drop and mechanical jerks (vibration) while the drone was going up.
At least 30 units each of whole blood, fresh frozen plasma, platelets and red blood cells from two different institutes — LHMC and GIMS — were sent to JIIT on several days in vans where relabelling was done. Thereafter, about 50% of the relabelled samples were flown via the drone at different times on the JIIT campus to check the blood quality while the remaining were sent through the van.
The drone was flown for 30 minutes every time, at a height varying from 20 to 100 metres. The maximum weight carried was 4kg.
The project will help establish a delivery method of life-saving blood and blood components during natural calamities and disasters, and to hard-to-reach terrains with poor blood bank facilities, Dr Aggarwal said, adding the study will help develop SOPs for wider applicability and use of drones for the purpose.
Blood and blood components are essential medical requirements, especially in medical emergencies and accidents. They are often difficult to procure timely in hard-to-access regions. Also, no study has been conducted in India so far to explore their delivery using drones.
Earlier, Dr Rajiv Bahl, director general of ICMR, had said it has been a pioneer in using drones for healthcare purposes and conducted the delivery of medical supplies and vaccines in remote areas of Manipur and Nagaland.