Launching the Drone driven aerial delivery facility to transport COVID vaccine, as well as emergency medicines to inaccessible and difficult areas in a short span of time, Union Minister for Science & Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh on Saturday, said that while the Pakistan Drone carries explosives to spread terror and threaten human lives, the Indian drone has assumed the role of a COVID warrior to carry life-saving vaccine and life-saving medicines for safety and well-being of mankind. This indeed is the fundamental difference between the two countries, he said.
Referring to the first consignment of 50 vials of COVID vaccine which was dropped by the Drone near the International Border (IB) in Marh area, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, the “Octacopter” Drone which was developed indigenously at Bengaluru at the initiative of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), is truly a messenger of peace.
Dr. Jitendra Singh, in the presence of Advisor Health to Lieutenant Governor Jammu & Kashmir Rajeev Bhatnagar, formally handed over the first consignment of COVID vaccine to Drone operators, who then mounted the same on the Drone before it took off for its air journey.
Dr. Jitendra Singh appreciated the successful aerial delivery of the Covid-19 vaccine from CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), Jammu to Government Sub-District Hospital, Marh, Jammu.
The road distance from Jammu to Marh is about 15 km and takes 50 to 60 minutes by road, but the Octacopter delivered the vaccine within 20 minutes. CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories (CSIR-NAL) and CSIR-IIIM have teamed with the Department of Health & Family Welfare for aerial delivery of the Covid-19 vaccine in remote areas.