A city-based healthcare provider Narayana Health partnered with logistics startup Airbound to launch a drone-based delivery system for transporting diagnostic samples, aiming to bypass Bengaluru’s heavy traffic and speed up medical logistics.

Under the pilot, drones carried diagnostic samples from a clinic in Chandapura to Narayana Health City in Bommasandra, creating a faster aerial link between key medical facilities in Bengaluru.

Since the pilot began in January 2026, around 700 drone flights have been conducted over 54 days, with each trip capable of carrying up to 40 diagnostic samples, showcasing the scalability of the model.

The drones covered a 4km aerial route in just 10 minutes, compared to nearly an hour via road during peak traffic, significantly reducing turnaround time for critical diagnostic deliveries.

The drones use a blended wing-body tailsitter design, combining vertical takeoff with efficient fixed-wing flight. This allows lower cost per kilometre and better performance compared to conventional transport methods.

Founder Devi Prasad Shetty said the model will be expanded to the upcoming Narayana Health facility in Banashankari, which is expected to integrate advanced, tech-driven healthcare operations.