India Post, one of the world's largest postal systems facing existential challenges due to rapid advances in communication technology, has for the first time delivered mail using a drone as part of a pilot project in the remote Kutch district of Gujarat, that borders Pakistan, covering a distance of 46 km in just 25 minutes, officials said.

The mail was sent by the drone from Habay village in Bhuj taluka to Ner village in Bhachau taluka of Kutch district - which covers an area of over 45,000 square km and is the largest administrative district in India - by India Post, the government's Press Information Bureau (PIB) said in Ahmedabad Sunday. 

“With the success of this pilot project, it will now be possible to make postal deliveries by drone in future,” it said.

“Keeping pace with modern technology, the Indian Postal Department has successfully tested for the first time in the country’s postal history a pilot project to deliver mail with the help of drone technology in Kutch district of Gujarat,” the PIB said.

As per the release, it took 25 minutes for the parcel to reach the destination located 46 km from the originating point. It was a medical parcel, as per the information shared on Twitter by India's Minister of State for Communications Devusinh Chauhan.

The pilot project specifically studied the cost of delivery by drones and the geographical location between the two centres, as well as possible coordination among staff during the delivery process, including possible roadblocks, the release said.

If the experiment is commercially successful, the postal parcel delivery services will become faster across India, especially in its vast rural hinterland, officials said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Friday inaugurated what was described as the country's biggest drone festival, where he said the use of drones will rise in sectors such as agriculture, sports, defence and disaster management.

(SAM)