BENGALURU: When Jervis Anthony Saldanha, an engineering student, noticed an ambulance carrying a pregnant lady stuck in traffic for a long time, it greatly affected him and he decided to do something about it. Two years after that incident, Jervis, along with another student Goutham Joshi, are on the verge of developing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that can deliver intensive medical aid and emergency medical services to accident victims and to places affected by disasters.
The project aims to design and develop a drone that is capable of vertical take-off and landing and can hover over constrained spaces, with slow and precise movements. Jervis is a 4th year student of aeronautical engineering at MV Jayaraman College of Engineering, while Goutham is from the electronics stream at the same college. They have built a prototype and are currently collaborating with Apollo Group of Hospitals to develop it into a product.
The UAV is envisioned to carry automated external defibrillators, in addition to automated blood pressure apparatus and other emergency medical equipment. Jervis said the idea was to provide timely medical aid to those who needed it urgently. “Just as the government tried to inform people that they can take accident victims to the hospital without facing any issues, we too want to make the community better,” he said. In fact, the product will need people other than the victim to carry out the treatment.
Jervis said, “Our fleet of aircraft will be positioned across the city. In case of any accident, for example, anyone can reach us by either a helpline or an app. Then one of our drones will take off and reach the victim. Over there, through an LCD screen fitted into the aircraft, we will interact with by-standers and instruct them how to administer treatment by using equipment in the aircraft.”
Goutham says they have been working on the project for over a year, and hope to launch a product by April 2018. In addition, they plan to develop another drone specifically to transport organs across cities. The duo will participate in a contest for drones at Australia in September this year. Jervis founded his own firm in January this year — Astra Aero, which will work towards developing the product. The students were guided by Retired Air Commodore and Head of Aeronautical Engineering Department at MVJCE Prof S C Gupta.