Redwing Labs

Drone- based healthcare supplies logistic system

CURRENT IMPACT

1,100+

flights conducted from Arunachal Pradesh & Odisha

1,400+

diagnostic samples collected

42,000+

medicine SKUs delivered

Geographical Focus
  • Arunachal Pradesh and Odisha

Samridh support

SAMRIDH’s support enabled Redwing Labs to address India’s last-mile healthcare supply chain challenges using drone technology. The support included technical validation grants, milestone-based funding, and returnable grants, thereby accelerating the entity’s path to sustainability. The unique support enabled Redwing Labs to meet their operational expenses while effectively deploying a drone-based aerial network in hard-to-reach areas of Arunachal Pradesh and Odisha. Furthermore, it facilitated Redwing Labs in securing orders from other B2B entities and corporate CSR agencies to expand the drone network. SAMRIDH also assisted in engaging with state and district governments, and completing commercial validation, which helped Redwing Labs to identify the appropriate price points and cost comparisons with other modes, crucial for scaling up the solution.

63% of rural Indians lack physical access to basic health services like pharmacies within a 5km radius.[1]
5% – 10% of primary health centres in India are nearly inaccessible due to their geographic locations or vulnerability to natural disasters.[2]
In remote and hard-to-reach areas of India, access to healthcare is a significant challenge exacerbated by inadequate infrastructure, harsh weather conditions, and slow adoption of efficient healthcare practices. As a result, people in these regions rely on healthcare providers in distant districts and cities, incurring higher costs. Moreover, the current supply chain systems struggle to deliver essential medical supplies due to poor access to good roads, infrastructure, and electricity, further hindering emergency care and contributing to preventable deaths. To address these issues, it is crucial to improve supply chain management and embrace technology-driven solutions in healthcare delivery.

[1] Choudhary, Amit. 2022. “Gaps in medicine accessibility in rural India.” Times of India Blog, October 16, 2022.

[2] Admin. 2023. “How drones are transforming access to healthcare in India.” 2023. World Economic Forum. October 5, 2023

Redwing Labs’ drone network streamlines medical product deliveries across districts, with a fully functional central hub near the district hospital, comprising six to eight drones. These drones deliver medical products, including medicines, vaccines, blood samples, among others, to all community health centres and primary health centres in the district. By digitizing orders, the network minimizes wastage and avoids expiry of medical products and delivers essentials such as vaccines and emergency supplies to remote regions, covering 30 km in 30 min. This groundbreaking, on-demand service primarily addresses the challenge of healthcare accessibility in rural and tribal regions.

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