Drone Technology in Indian Agriculture

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Farmers in Bhagthala Khurd, Kapurthala, and Amritsar are using drones for spraying insecticides on their maize and moong vegetation.

The Indian drone market for agriculture is in its initial levels but suggests a promising growth.
In Punjab, 93 out of 100 drones made to be handed to farmers by the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO) under the Centre’s ‘NAMO Drone Didi’ scheme are already operational.
- These drones cost Rs 16 lakh each, and come equipped with 12-litre water tanks.

Health Protection: Drones reduce farmers’ direct publicity to dangerous pesticides, which could lead to serious health issues like cancer and kidney diseases.
Efficiency: Drones complete spraying tasks in 5-7 mins consistent with acre, compared to several hours manually.
- They also ensure uniform application, enhancing crop yields.
- Data from drones facilitates perceived regions needing attention, that may lead to advanced crop yields and accelerated earnings.
Nano Fertilisers: Drones deal with nano fertilisers correctly, ensuring uniform utility of small quantities which might be otherwise hard to unfold manually.
Pest Control: Drones provide timely and effective application at some stage in pest infestations like crimson bollworm, locusts, and whiteflies.
Environmental Benefits: Drones can increase nutrient absorption from nano fertilisers to as much as 90%, decreasing runoff and pollution.
- Leaf- based application is less polluting than soil- based techniques.
Water Conservation: Drones reduce down water use by as much as 90% as compared to standard pesticide application techniques.
Reduced Costs: Drones decrease the need for manual hard work and decrease pesticide and chemical usage, lowering average charges.
Additional Uses: Drones also are getting used for losing seed balls (soil and cow dung balls with seeds) for potential reforestation projects.

Job Loss: The use of drones may also cause decreased demand for guide hard work, impacting activity opportunities for employees.
Lack of Knowledge and Training: Farmers may also lack the vital abilties and schooling to perform drones efficaciously.
Cost: The high cost of drones may be a barrier for many farmers.
Regulatory Barriers: There can be regulatory challenges that complicate the adoption of drones in agriculture.

The Digital India campaign aims to enhance digital infrastructure and provide training.
Organizations just like the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) are selling precision agriculture technologies, consisting of drones.
Production connected incentive (PLI) scheme: This scheme gives a tremendous economic push of Rs. 120 crore (US$ 14.39 million) to incentivise home drone manufacturing and decrease import reliance.
Sub-mission on agricultural mechanization (SMAM): This initiative presents financial aid to farmers who purchase drones, making this era greater handy.
The Government of India has released the Namo Drone Didi Scheme with an aim to empower the ladies Self Help Groups (SHGs) and to offer access to modern agricultural generation.
Support and Training: Efforts are being made to offer essential education and support to farmers to triumph over barriers to drone adoption.

Drone generation has the capability to revolutionize agriculture by improving performance, yields, and cost-effectiveness.
Drones may revolutionise pesticide or fertiliser application in Punjab fields, which has historically been accomplished manually either through employed labourers or the farmers themselves.
Therefore It is important for farmers and policymakers to collaborate to address challenges and make certain that the advantages of drones are found out while mitigating any issues.

Source: The Hindu

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