The Civil Aviation Ministry on Thursday permitted the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to conduct a feasibility study on using drones to deliver Covid-19 vaccines, according to an official press release on Thursday.

The ICMR will conduct this study in collaboration with Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, the ministry's statement said.

The government has granted "conditional exemption" from the "Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Rules, 2021" so that a feasibility study can be carried out on using drones to deliver Covid-19 vaccines. This exemption will be valid for a period of one year or until further orders, it noted.