Soon, this will also be adopted in India’s National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP), health ministry officials said on Thursday.
Average out-of-pocket expenditure for obtaining a TB diagnosis fell from about ₹9,451 under the conventional system to around ₹91 after drone-based sample transport was introduced.
ICMR said the median out-of-pocket expenditure during the drone phase was zero, indicating that many participants incurred no travel costs.
According to ICMR, the intervention reduced the median turnaround time for diagnosis from 15 days to five days, allowing earlier confirmation of TB and faster treatment decisions.
“Affordable and timely access to diagnosis remains central to India’s TB elimination efforts.
Transporting tuberculosis (TB) sputum samples by drones reduced the time taken to diagnose the disease from a median of 15 days to five days and sharply lowered patients’ out-of-pocket expenditure from around ₹9,000 to only ₹91, a pilot study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in Telangana has said. Soon, this will also be adopted in India’s National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP), health ministry officials said on Thursday.
The study found a significant reduction in the financial burden on patients. Average out-of-pocket expenditure for obtaining a TB diagnosis fell from about ₹9,451 under the conventional system to around ₹91 after drone-based sample transport was introduced. The reduction was attributed to lower travel expenses, reduced wage loss and the availability of sputum collection closer to patients’ homes. ICMR said the median out-of-pocket expenditure during the drone phase was zero, indicating that many participants incurred no travel costs. “The study can help highlight the potential of integrating innovative strategies like these to strengthen TB care delivery as well as inch closer to the elimination of TB,” said an official.
ICMR said the findings were based on implementation in a single district and would require validation across diverse settings before wider adoption. The study forms part of the i-DRONE initiative, under which the research body is evaluating the use of drones to transport vaccines, medicines, blood products and diagnostic samples to improve healthcare access in difficult terrain across India.
The study enrolled 840 participants and compared the conventional system, in which patients travelled to TB diagnostic centres, with a drone-enabled model under which sputum samples were collected at nearby Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and sub-centres before being flown to TB diagnostic laboratories.
The programme-based study was carried out under ICMR’s flagship i-DRONE initiative in hard to reach areas of Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district in collaboration with AIIMS Bibinagar and the district TB office under the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP). It assessed whether drones could improve access to diagnostic services in remote areas.
According to ICMR, the intervention reduced the median turnaround time for diagnosis from 15 days to five days, allowing earlier confirmation of TB and faster treatment decisions.
The drone network linked 11 Primary Health Centres, 60 sub-centres and four TB Units, enabling patients to submit sputum samples at health facilities closer to their villages instead of travelling long distances for testing.
“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,” said Dr Rajiv Bahl, Secretary, Department of Health Research and Director General, ICMR.
Healthcare workers involved in the study reported that drone-based transport reduced delays, improved operational efficiency and was accepted by communities after an initial period of familiarisation. However, researchers also identified operational challenges, including weather conditions, payload limitations and the need for continued training.
Published on July 16, 2026
