Medicines from sky: `T-Works' develops payload system with autonomous release mechanism
`T-Works', an initiative of the Telangana government, has designed a cold-storage medical supplies payload with a first-of-its-kind autonomous release mechanism in collaboration with Hyderabad-based drone company `Airserve Initiatives'.
By Newsmeter Network Published on 7 Oct 2021 3:44 AM GMT
Hyderabad: `T-Works', an initiative of the Telangana government, has designed a cold-storage medical supplies payload with a first-of-its-kind autonomous release mechanism in collaboration with Hyderabad-based drone company `Airserve Initiatives'.
The solution incorporates a unique payload-release mechanism that automatically detaches the entire payload from the drone after it lands, with zero human intervention, T-works said.
Once detached, the drone immediately takes off to return to its home base. The release is instant, it takes under a second for the payload and drone to separate and the time saved can be potentially life-saving in emergency situations.
Airserve successfully demonstrated this unique medical drone delivery capability from Vikarabad Area Hospital to Madgulchittampalle primary healthcare center, 6.2km away, in Telangana as part of the Medicines from the Sky trials.
Until now, medical staff at primary healthcare centers had to manually separate the medicines or the entire box from the drone. This poses risks ranging from damage to the drone to injury to the medical staff who otherwise have to be in close proximity to the drone and its propellers.
T-works CEO Sujai Karampuri said for the past one year, T-Works has demonstrated multiple UAV-related capabilities - from developing fixed-wing beyond-visual-line-of-sight or BVLOS UAVs to building customized payloads.
"We worked with Airserve Initiatives to design and fabricate the payload to carry temperature-sensitive medical supplies and a first-of-its-kind autonomous payload release mechanism. This partnership is an excellent example of innovation moving from lab to market in record time, and a demonstration of what a rapid prototyping center like T-Works can achieve, he said.
Aniketh Madhusudhan, Director, Airserve Initiatives, thanked T-Works for helping them build a cold storage payload with the autonomous detachment mechanism which can successfully deliver vaccines.
"We believe in creating a more efficient healthcare network which leverages the power of technology and is proud to be working with Airserve and T-Works for last-mile deliveries," said Ravi Kumar Khandavilly, healthcare partner and Neumeric Technologies Director.
