VISAKHAPATNAM: Tension prevailed among tribals in Alluri Sitarama Raju district after a trial medical drone made a precautionary landing in a remote area on Friday evening. No injuries or damage to property were reported. The drone flight was part of an initiative to assess the performance of drone-based medical delivery services in the Agency region.
The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) took off from Paderu around 3:40 pm and was en route to Munchingiputtu Community Health Centre when a technical irregularity was detected mid-flight. According to officials, the drone was flying at an altitude of about 400 feet when a minor deviation in airspeed readings was observed.
Following standard safety protocols, the operations team immediately suspended the automated route and brought the drone under manual control.
The pilot then guided the drone to an open, uninhabited farmland area near Gamparai village, close to Boyithili in Pedabayalu mandal, where it was safely landed. While no harm was caused to people or property, the drone is reported to have sustained minor damage during landing.
Operators said the issue was identified shortly after take-off and corrective action was taken without delay. “We noticed the glitch immediately and steered the drone away from habitations towards farmland to avoid any risk. It landed safely, though one of the wings sustained slight damage. The overall condition of the drone remains good,” they said.
The incident led to concern among local villagers, with several people gathering at the landing site. The team later explained the purpose of the trial and the technical reasons for halting the flight to reassure residents. The drone was subsequently dismantled and transported back to the base camp. Representatives of Redwing said flight logs are being analysed and sensors are being re-evaluated to identify the cause of the issue.
A detailed report will be submitted to the district authorities. The drone initiative is part of ongoing efforts to improve access to medicines in remote areas of the district, where terrain often poses challenges to conventional transport.