Explained | How drone delivery of Covid-19 vaccines will work

The ICMR has called for bids to build a delivery model to remote parts of the country

The Centre is pulling all stops in a bid to vaccinate all Indians above 18 years by December-end. The latest plan set in motion is vaccine delivery, especially in remote areas, with the help of high-tech drones. The ICMR has invited bids from agencies to deliver medical supplies payload at select locations with difficult terrains.

The plan has been in the works since the government gave the apex medical research body the go ahead in April.

HLL Infra Tech Services, a unit of the government-owned HLL Lifecare, on Friday invited bids from experienced Indian agencies to build a framework and model for vaccine delivery through unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to get vaccines to remote places or regions with tough terrain.

What is the goal?

The ICMR plans to create a medical supplies delivery model that can be used to deliver vaccines and other medical necessities to certain places that are hard to reach through drones.

The medical research body is looking to engage UAV operators to fly these drones along a fixed route, drop off medical packages and return to the command station in a safe way.

How did the idea come about?

The ICMR had been conducting feasibility trials with the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur and vaccine maker Bharat Biotech since April to test how heavy payloads could be used and how far medical supplies could be carried by the drones. Based on the results of the studies, the ICMR says it has developed a standard protocol to successfully deliver vaccines using UAVs.

How will the UAVs work?

According to the bid document, the ICMR requires the UAVs to be capable of covering at least 35 km in the air, reaching a minimum altitude of 100 meters and returning to the command station. Additionally, the aircraft should be able to fly beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS), which means they must be capable of being flown safely without being directly seen by the drone operator.

The drones are also required to take off vertically, carrying a payload of 4 kg, preferably on top of the drone. The ICMR has strictly barred delivery by parachute.

The UAVs should also be able to follow fully autonomous take-off, flight, and landing along paths defined by a global positioning system (GPS), have the ability to be reconfigured, be equipped with multiple fail-safe options and come with third-party insurance.