Drone solutions consulting firm Alternative Global India (AGI), which has helped two consortiums to obtain trial permissions, has welomed the recent decision of Ministry of Civil Aviation and Directorate General of Civil Aviation to grant conditional permission to the Telangana Government for Covid vaccine delivery using drones.

The permission has been granted for conducting experimental delivery of Covid-19 vaccines within Visual Line of Sight (VLOS) Range using drones. The permission exemption is valid for a period of one year or until further orders.

Ankit Kumar, Tech Investor & Serial Entrepreneur in a statement said, “This is the first of its kind of trials being conducted. The trial would ideally validate drone delivery mechanism for Covid Vaccines. After the completion of the trial, this may be adopted by the State and Centre to deliver Covid vaccines to multiple regional corridors on priority.”

Trials will also assist in assessing conditions such as population, degree of isolation, geography etc. to identify regions that specifically require drone deliveries.

The grant of these permissions is intended to achieve the dual objectives of faster vaccine delivery and improved healthcare access by ensuring primary healthcare delivery at the citizen’s doorstep and limiting human exposure to COVID congested or COVID prone areas through aerial delivery and ensuring access to health care to the last mile, especially in remote areas.

“The environment is optimistic, with the right set of people, favourable government regulations and aerial technological advancements, drone delivery will be a game changer very soon,” said Ankit Kumar.

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