The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has published significant findings from its i-DRONE initiative demonstrating dramatic improvements in tuberculosis diagnosis efficiency through drone-assisted sample transport. According to a study conducted in Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district of Telangana in collaboration with AIIMS Bibinagar and the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP), the median turnaround time for TB diagnosis was reduced from 15 days to just 5 days, representing a 67% reduction in diagnostic time.
The financial impact on patients was even more substantial, with mean out-of-pocket expenditure decreasing from approximately ₹9,451 to just ₹91 per diagnosis - a reduction of over 99%. This technological innovation specifically benefits remote and hard-to-reach areas where traditional sample transport methods face significant logistical challenges. The findings were formally presented by Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha on August 4, 2026, indicating government recognition of these results as part of the National TB Elimination Programme update.