The use of drones to transport sputum samples from remote health centres to diagnostic laboratories can reduce tuberculosis diagnosis time from 15 days to just five, while significantly lowering patients’ expenses, according to a recent study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
The programme-based study under the ICMR’s flagship i-DRONE initiative, conducted in Telangana’s Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district, enrolled 840 participants to evaluate a drone-enabled system for transporting sputum samples from primary health centres (PHCs) and sub-centres to designated tuberculosis (TB) diagnostic laboratories.
Researchers found that the median turnaround time for TB diagnosis dropped from 15 days under the conventional system to just five days after the introduction of drone-assisted transport, enabling earlier diagnosis of the disease and quicker clinical response, the Union Health Ministry said in a statement.
The study also reported a sharp decline in the financial burden on patients. The mean out-of-pocket expenditure for obtaining a TB diagnosis fell from about Rs 9,451 under the conventional system, to around Rs 91 during the drone-enabled phase.
The reduction was mainly due to lower travel costs, reduced wage loss and access to sputum collection closer to patients’ homes.
The median out-of-pocket expenditure during the drone phase was zero, indicating that many participants incurred no travel-related expenses for diagnosis.
The intervention operated through a hub-and-spoke network linking 11 PHCs, 60 sub-centres and four TB units, allowing patients to submit sputum samples at nearby health facilities instead of travelling long distances to diagnostic centres.
ICMR Director General and Secretary, Department of Health Research Dr Rajiv Bahl said affordable and timely diagnosis remains central to India’s TB elimination efforts and the findings show how technology can help overcome geographical barriers while reducing the burden on patients in remote areas.
Healthcare workers involved in the study reported that drone-enabled transport reduced delays, improved operational efficiency and gained community acceptance after initial familiarisation.
The researchers also identified operational challenges, including weather conditions, payload limitations and the need for continued training, highlighting the importance of careful planning before wider implementation.
The findings are based on programme implementation in a single district and provide operational evidence on the role of drone-enabled logistics in strengthening healthcare delivery in geographically challenging areas, the researchers said.
The study adds to the evidence being generated under the ICMR’s i-DRONE initiative, which is exploring the use of drones for transporting vaccines, medicines, blood products and diagnostic specimens to improve healthcare access in difficult terrains across the country.
