Longest drone flight medical supplies delivery in India done in Nagaland

The Indian Medical Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Drone Response and Outreach in North East (i-Drone) pilot project, which was launched in Nagaland’s Mokokchung on December 14 made its final and longest drone flight from Mokokchung to Tuensang to deliver medical supplies, covering an aerial distance of 40 kilometers in 28 minutes.

The road distance between the two district headquarters is 90 kilometers and takes seven to eight travelling hours due to the terrain and road conditions. As per the i-Drone project team, the drone delivered over 3000 units of medical supplies in a record 28 minutes from Mokokchung to Tuensang covering an aerial distance of 40 kilometers.

“@ICMRDELHI along with Nagaland Govt. scripts a new chapter in the history of public health practices. 3525 units of medical supplies were transported from Mokokchung to Tuensang covering an aerial dist. of 40kms in 28mnts – longest flight ever by drone carrying medicines in India,” Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio tweeted on Saturday.

According to an official bulletin, the drone delivery was undertaken to test the feasibility of sending Covid-19 samples from Mokokchung to Tuensang as the latter does not have sample testing facility.

More than 7000 units of medical supplies were transported to Nagaland through this project.

The ICMR project aims at supplying Covid-19 vaccines and essential medical supplies to far-flung places.

The i-DRONE activity was launched in Mokokchung on December 14 and made the first flight from the district Chief Medical Officer’s Office to Primary Health Centre Longsa village.

In a tweet, chief minister Neiphiu Rio said that ICMR Delhi and the state government scripted a new chapter in the history of public health practices.

“ICMR Delhi long with Nagaland Government scripts a new chapter in the history of public health practices. 3525 units of medical supplies were transported from Mokokchung to Tuensang covering an aerial dist. of 40kms in 28mnts – longest flight ever by a drone carrying medicines in India,” Rio said in a tweet. Hindustan Times