ICMR successfully tests drone-based cornea transport to aid eye care

ICMR, AIIMS, and Dr. Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital successfully use drones to transport corneal tissues for transplants, improving healthcare access.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), in collaboration with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi and Dr. Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital, in an initiative supported by the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation has successfully conducted a feasibility study to assess the potential of using drones to transport sensitive ophthalmic biomaterials, including human corneas and amniotic membrane grafts from peripheral collection centres to tertiary hospitals for transplantation procedures, in Haryana’s Sonipat and Jhajjar on Tuesday (March 25, 2025).

The drone successfully transported corneal tissue from Dr. Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital (Sonipat centre) to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), AIIMS Jhajjar, and subsequently to AIIMS New Delhi, a distance that usually takes about two-and-a-half-hours by road and was covered in 40 minutes with drones. The drone maintained optimal conditions for specimen integrity and the cornea was evaluated upon arrival, leading to a successful transplant surgery.

Over the past few years, ICMR’s i-DRONE initiative has demonstrated the successful use of drones to deliver essential medical supplies, including to States in northeast India (COVID-19 and Universal Immunisation Programme or UIP vaccines, medications, and surgical materials), Himachal Pradesh (medications and samples in high altitude and sub-zero temperatures), Telangana (TB sputum samples), and the National Capital Region (blood bags and related components). These efforts highlight the growing capability and promise of drones in bridging the last mile healthcare gap.

Speaking of the successful deployment of drones, Rajiv Bahl, Secretary, Department of Health Research, and Director General, ICMR, said that the i-DRONE platform was originally conceived during the COVID-19 pandemic to deliver vaccines to remote regions. 

“Since then, we have scaled our efforts to include low-temperature delivery of blood products and essential medicines to high-altitude and sub-zero [temperature] locations. This cornea transport study marks another step forward — enhancing patient access, ensuring timely transplants, and reducing pressure on overburdened tertiary hospitals,’’ Dr. Bahl said.

The Central government has also maintained that drones are emerging as gamechangers in healthcare logistics, offering rapid delivery of life-saving medical supplies to remote and hard-to-reach areas.

The timely transportation of corneal tissues is critical as the viability of donated corneas is time-sensitive. Delays in transportation can compromise tissue quality and reduce the chances of successful transplantation. Drone-based transport offers a swift, temperature-stable, and efficient alternative to traditional road networks, which are often slow or unpredictable, especially in semi-urban or rural areas. This can help bridge the gap between donor sites and recipients, ensuring that no viable tissue goes unused, and that more patients regain sight in time.