T-Works designed and fabricated 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 which automatically detaches the entire payload from the drone after it lands, with zero human intervention. 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. The time saved can be potentially life-saving in emergency situations.

Airserve today successfully demonstrated this unique medical drone delivery capability from Vikarabad Area Hospital to Madgulchittampalle primary healthcare centre, 6.2km away, in Telangana as part of the Medicines from the Sky trials.

Until now, medical staff at primary healthcare centres 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. 

Sujai Karampuri CEO T-Works said, “Over the past year T-Works has demonstrated multiple UAV related capabilities – from developing fixed-wing beyond-visual-line-of-sight or BVLOS UAVs to building customised 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 centre like T-Works can achieve.”

“Airserve is thrilled to be among the top companies for drone deliveries and takes pride in building India’s first 4G drone for last-mile deliveries. We thank T-Works for helping us build a cold storage payload with the autonomous detachment mechanism which can successfully deliver vaccines”, said Aniketh Madhusudhan, Director, Airserve Initiatives.

“We believe in creating a more efficient healthcare network which leverages the power of technology and are proud to be working with Airserve and T-Works for last-mile deliveries” said healthcare partner Neumeric Technologies  Director, Ravi Kumar Khandavilly.