Where boats do not reach, drones and helicopters come in handy

APSFL employees use drones to deliver food packets to flood-hit areas, aiding inaccessible victims efficiently and effectively.

Around 150 staffers from the A.P. State FiberNet Limited (APSFL) assembled on the Singh Nagar flyover on September 3, Tuesday, to operate drones that would deliver food packets to flood-hit areas that were inaccessible by boat.

Around 40-45 drones, belonging to the A.P. Drones Corporation, a wing of the APSFL, were put to use following instructions from APSFL Managing Director K. Dinesh Kumar.

“These drones are usually meant for spraying pesticides on crops. This is the first time that they are being deployed for helping flood victims in Vijayawada,” said Pawan, an APSFL employee, while guarding the drone from children and youth who were eager to see it in action. Many people gathered around to take videos of the drone in action.

On being asked about its functioning, he said that the machine has a GPS tracker. “Once we specify the coordinates of the delivery location, the drone flies to that spot and will descend slowly, coming in reach of the people waiting on rooftops who can unhook the food bags from the drone.”

The 40 drones have made more than 100 trips from 5.30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday. “We came here yesterday at 7 p.m. and stayed till 2 a.m., and came back again today morning at 5.30 a.m.,” Mr. Pawan said, adding that they have been instructed by their MD to send the drones to wherever they see people waving for help from their rooftops.

“We are sending food packets, medicines, water and milk in one box, weighing around 750 grams. At a time, the drone can carry 10 such boxes. The maximum weight it can carry is 10 kg, which means a single trip can help most of the families living in an apartment building,” he said. A drone is being sent to help people every five minutes. It can fly up to a height of 1 km or a little more, he said.

Meanwhile, as per instructions from Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, CREDAI-Vijayawada deployed helicopters to distribute relief material to flood victims.