Chennai research centre plans test flight of drone ambulance next January
A Chennai UAV research centre says its drone ambulance, built to carry two people, is in final design and will have a test flight in Karaikudi next January.
The Dr Kalam Advanced Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Research Centre in Chennai is developing a drone ambulance and plans a test flight next January, according to a report by ETV Bharat published on 17 October 2026.
The centre was set up in 2019 with Tamil Nadu government funding and works within the MIT campus of Anna University in Chromepet. The test flight is scheduled at the Kanadukathan airstrip in Karaikudi.
What the drone can do
- Carry a payload of 250 kg and transport two people
- Fly at 50 to 60 km/h at altitudes of 1,000 to 1,200 feet
- Stay in the air for up to 90 minutes
- Land on rooftops and open grounds
The report says the drone is meant to bypass traffic congestion and reach places that ground transport cannot. The centre's Director of Aerospace Research, Senthilkumar, said the design phase is in its final stages and that work is under way to increase capacity so medical personnel can accompany patients.
The Tamil Nadu government and the centre formed the Tamil Nadu Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Corporation in 2022, and the Andhra Pradesh government joined the project earlier this year, according to the report. Separate efforts are under way to use drones to carry small quantities of medical supplies over about 400 km.
Why it matters for ambulance owners and drivers
The project is still at the design stage, so ground ambulances remain the main emergency link. It does show that state-backed agencies are exploring aerial options for places that road vehicles struggle to reach.
Read the full report at the source: ETV Bharat
This is a summary written by the Ambulance Owner Association. The facts are from the source named above.