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<p>Timely intraoperative pathological diagnostics, such as frozen section analysis, are critical for optimizing oncosurgical outcomes. Peripheral secondary care hospitals often lack the necessary infrastructure, causing delays and hindering effective surgical decision-making. Traditional road-based specimen transport faces challenges like prolonged transit times and inadequate temperature maintenance. Drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), offer a potential solution for rapid and reliable transport. The study was conducted from January to April 2024 between Dr. T.M.A. Pai Rotary Hospital in Karkala and Kasturba Medical College in Manipal. Hybrid VTOL drones (AD350 model) completed 21 BVLOS missions along a pre-approved 25.4&#xa0;km semi-urban corridor. The Project Domain Framework and extended TELOSS analysis evaluated three transport alternatives. Specimens remained within the required 2–8&#xa0;°C range through triple packaging, gel-ice packs, and continuous temperature logging. Primary measures included flight success rates, transit times, temperature control, and regulatory compliance. All 21 BVLOS flights succeeded, reducing transport time from an estimated 50–60&#xa0;min by road to 21&#xa0;min by drone, an estimated 65–70% improvement. Every specimen maintained stable temperatures between 2 and 8&#xa0;°C. Seven patients contributed eight intraoperative oncosurgical specimens, as one patient provided two specimens during the same operative session. All specimens processed through standard pathology protocols demonstrated complete histo-morphological integrity. Frozen section reports were delivered in an average of 15.3&#xa0;min. Specimens were collected from patients undergoing surgery for suspected oncological conditions; histopathological evaluation confirmed malignancy in three of eight specimens, with the remaining five specimens found to be non-malignant. TELOSS analysis showed drone transport for crucial specimens achieved the highest scores across all feasibility domains. BVLOS drone operations proved technically feasible, regulatory compliant, and operationally viable for transporting temperature-sensitive medical specimens across semi-urban healthcare corridors. The approach offers a scalable solution for India’s tiered healthcare system.</p>

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Operational feasibility of drone based BVLOS transport for temperature sensitive oncosurgical specimens from a secondary to tertiary hospital corridor in India

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月31日

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  • Kirthinath Ballala,
  • Kuldeep Nigam,
  • Sumit Aggarwal,
  • Rohith Bhagawath,
  • S. Vimal Krishnan,
  • V. Mrinal Kumar,
  • Vishwapriya M. Godkhindi

摘要

Timely intraoperative pathological diagnostics, such as frozen section analysis, are critical for optimizing oncosurgical outcomes. Peripheral secondary care hospitals often lack the necessary infrastructure, causing delays and hindering effective surgical decision-making. Traditional road-based specimen transport faces challenges like prolonged transit times and inadequate temperature maintenance. Drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), offer a potential solution for rapid and reliable transport. The study was conducted from January to April 2024 between Dr. T.M.A. Pai Rotary Hospital in Karkala and Kasturba Medical College in Manipal. Hybrid VTOL drones (AD350 model) completed 21 BVLOS missions along a pre-approved 25.4 km semi-urban corridor. The Project Domain Framework and extended TELOSS analysis evaluated three transport alternatives. Specimens remained within the required 2–8 °C range through triple packaging, gel-ice packs, and continuous temperature logging. Primary measures included flight success rates, transit times, temperature control, and regulatory compliance. All 21 BVLOS flights succeeded, reducing transport time from an estimated 50–60 min by road to 21 min by drone, an estimated 65–70% improvement. Every specimen maintained stable temperatures between 2 and 8 °C. Seven patients contributed eight intraoperative oncosurgical specimens, as one patient provided two specimens during the same operative session. All specimens processed through standard pathology protocols demonstrated complete histo-morphological integrity. Frozen section reports were delivered in an average of 15.3 min. Specimens were collected from patients undergoing surgery for suspected oncological conditions; histopathological evaluation confirmed malignancy in three of eight specimens, with the remaining five specimens found to be non-malignant. TELOSS analysis showed drone transport for crucial specimens achieved the highest scores across all feasibility domains. BVLOS drone operations proved technically feasible, regulatory compliant, and operationally viable for transporting temperature-sensitive medical specimens across semi-urban healthcare corridors. The approach offers a scalable solution for India’s tiered healthcare system.