Innovators of TiHAN at IIT-Hyderabad develop heavy payload drone to use as air ambulance

TiHAN innovators at IIT-Hyderabad have developed a drone named Palyanka that can carry up to 200 kgs, to be used as an air ambulance, cargo vehicle, or in rescue missions. The team is ready to pilot the project in hilly terrains

Sangareddy: Getting ambulances stuck in traffic in Indian cities may soon become a thing of the past as innovators at Indian Institute of Technology-Hyderabad (IIT-H) have developed an air ambulance that can carry road accident victims and seriously ill persons to hospitals in the least possible time.

The Technology Innovation Hub on Autonomous Navigation Foundation (TiHAN) at IIT-H, which has been working on developing driverless vehicles and advanced technology drones, has now developed a heavy payload drone that can be used as an ambulance.

The ambulance will be an autonomous vehicle that can reach from one point to another without any operational help from humans.

It can carry up to 200 kgs of payload. It can also be used as an air cargo vehicle and as an air taxi in metro cities.

The drone can also be used in rescue operations during natural disasters like floods, fire accidents and even during wars.

The innovators have named the drone Palyanka, a Sanskrit word synonymous with palanquin. Since the Palyanka was used to carry queens in ancient times, Hub Executive Officer Dr Santosh Reddy said they chose a name from Sanskrit that reflects ancient Indian culture. He said TiHAN’s Technical Officer Dr Shyam Narayana suggested the name.

Since the timely shifting of injured persons in road accidents or those who are seriously ill is crucial to saving lives, TiHAN-IIT-H innovators decided to develop heavy payload drones that can be used as ambulances.

Dr Santosh Reddy said these drones could also be useful in hilly terrain where mobility is difficult due to the absence of roads. He said people trapped in floods, fire-hit zones or remote areas could be rescued using the drone.

He said they were ready to take it up as a pilot project in hilly terrain to lift people in need.

Meanwhile, TiHAN innovators are also working on improving the endurance of these drones by using materials that can withstand high temperatures during fire accidents.

TiHAN was grounded five years ago at IIT-H, where the innovators began their work on flapping drones. It has been a long and eventful journey for the team under the leadership of Project Director Prof P Rajalakshmi as they have now developed a drone that can carry a 200-kg payload and is ready for pilot use.