Nizhny Novgorod region is testing drone delivery of medicines to villages.

      On April 2, 2026, at 19:30, Society In the Lyskovsky district of the Nizhny Novgorod region, tests are being conducted for the delivery of pharmaceuticals using drones. The tests are organized by the ANO "Gorky Tech," the State Enterprise of the Nizhny Novgorod Region "Nizhny Novgorod Pharmacy," and the federal operator LLC "BAS," and will last from March 30 to April 5.

      The flights are carried out as part of the national project "Unmanned Aerial Systems," implemented on the instructions of the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, as well as under an experimental legal regime that allows for the testing of various scenarios for the use of drones in a real environment.

      During the tests, medications are delivered from the "State Pharmacy" of Lyskov to a similar pharmacy in the village of Valki across the Volga River. The distance between the settlements is about 11 kilometers; however, due to the lack of regular communication, the journey under normal conditions can take up to an hour, and when the ferry service is halted, it can take up to 4-5 hours with a detour through Nizhny Novgorod. The drone allows for a reduction in delivery time to 10-15 minutes.

      Alexey Yursky, the director of the Lyskov territorial association of the State Enterprise of the Nizhny Novgorod Region "Nizhny Novgorod Pharmacy," noted that ensuring the population has access to medications is one of the key social tasks. Traditional logistics do not always allow for the prompt delivery of medications, especially during periods of adverse weather conditions or lack of year-round communication. The use of drones is seen as a solution for the emergency delivery of medicines to remote settlements like Valki.

      The pharmacy in the village serves not only local residents but also the population of nearby settlements — a total of several thousand people. All necessary storage and safety conditions are observed during the transportation of the medications.

      The tests are conducted using the domestic unmanned aerial vehicle "Alpha E." The device, with a maximum takeoff weight of up to 30 kg, can carry up to 7 kg of cargo over a distance of up to 60 kilometers at a speed of about 60 km/h. The drone can operate at temperatures ranging from -30 to +45 degrees Celsius.

      Ilya Ladyka, the executive director of LLC "BAS," emphasized that drone technologies are actively being implemented in civilian sectors, and logistics is becoming one of the most in-demand areas. Drones allow for faster cargo delivery and are not dependent on road conditions or seasonal restrictions, including the suspension of ferry services.

      At the current stage, four specialists are involved in the flight operations; however, in the future, one operator will be able to manage the system.

      Kirill Zhilin, the project manager at ANO "Gorky Tech," reported that over the past year, the tasks solved with the help of drones in the region have significantly expanded. Previously, medical aerologistics projects connected Nizhny Novgorod and Bor, but now the delivery of medicines is being carried out to remote and hard-to-reach settlements. According to him, such tests allow for the testing of new drone models, the establishment of promising routes, and the assessment of the potential of air logistics.

      The development of unmanned aerial systems in Russia is being carried out as part of the national project of the same name. Its implementation is aimed at expanding the use of such technologies in various sectors of the economy and forming a new high-tech industry.

      It has been reported that long-range drones will patrol the forests of the Nizhny Novgorod region.

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