For thousands of tuberculosis (TB) patients living in remote villages, reaching a diagnostic centre often means travelling long distances, losing daily wages and delaying treatment. A new study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) suggests that drones could offer a practical solution by transporting sputum samples from remote health facilities to laboratories, significantly reducing both diagnosis time and patients' out-of-pocket expenses.
The study, conducted under the ICMR's flagship i-DRONE initiative in Telangana's Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district, found that drone-assisted transport reduced the median time taken to diagnose TB from 15 days to just five days, enabling patients to begin treatment much earlier.
Researchers said the intervention also led to a dramatic decline in the financial burden associated with seeking diagnosis. Average out-of-pocket expenditure fell from about ₹9,451 under the conventional system to ₹91 when drones were used to transport sputum samples. During the drone-enabled phase, the median out-of-pocket expenditure was zero, indicating that many patients did not have to spend anything on travel for diagnosis.
The programme-based study was carried out in collaboration with AIIMS Bibinagar and the District Tuberculosis Office under the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP). It enrolled 840 participants and compared the existing model—where patients travelled to TB diagnostic centres—with a new approach in which sputum samples were collected at nearby Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and sub-centres before being flown by drones to designated tuberculosis laboratories.
Under the intervention, a hub-and-spoke network connected 11 Primary Health Centres, 60 sub-centres and four TB Units, allowing patients to submit samples closer to their homes instead of undertaking repeated journeys to diagnostic facilities.
Researchers said reducing diagnostic delays is critical in tuberculosis control, as early confirmation allows prompt initiation of treatment, reduces disease transmission and improves treatment outcomes.
"Affordable and timely access to diagnosis remains central to India's TB elimination efforts. This study demonstrates how technology can help bridge geographical barriers and reduce the burden on patients, particularly those living in remote areas. The evidence generated through the i-DRONE initiative will help inform future public health innovations while complementing existing healthcare delivery systems," said Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Secretary, Department of Health Research and Director General, ICMR.
India continues to account for the world's largest burden of tuberculosis. Although diagnostic services have expanded considerably in recent years, access remains challenging in geographically difficult regions where patients often travel several hours to reach designated microscopy or molecular testing centres.
Apart from shortening turnaround time, the drone-based model also reduced indirect costs borne by patients, including travel expenditure and wage losses resulting from repeated visits to health facilities.
Healthcare workers involved in the programme reported that the intervention improved operational efficiency by ensuring faster movement of diagnostic samples between peripheral health centres and laboratories. They also observed that local communities accepted the technology after an initial period of familiarisation.
However, researchers cautioned that wider implementation would require addressing operational challenges such as adverse weather conditions, payload limitations and continued training of personnel involved in drone operations.
The study was conducted in a single district and therefore represents operational evidence rather than a nationwide assessment. Researchers said implementation across different geographical settings would be necessary to generate additional evidence for policy decisions on scaling up drone-enabled healthcare logistics.
The findings add to a growing body of evidence generated under the ICMR i-DRONE initiative, which is exploring the use of drones to strengthen healthcare delivery in difficult terrains across India.
Beyond tuberculosis, the initiative has already examined the feasibility of transporting vaccines, blood products, medicines, diagnostic specimens and human tissues using drones, particularly in remote, hilly and inaccessible regions where conventional transport remains slow or unreliable.
As India works towards eliminating tuberculosis, researchers believe innovations that bring diagnostic services closer to patients could complement existing healthcare infrastructure by reducing inequities in access. The Telangana study suggests that instead of asking patients to travel long distances for testing, it may be more efficient to transport the samples—offering a faster, less expensive and more patient-friendly approach to TB diagnosis.
