Revolutionizing Agriculture: The Rise of Drones in Farming Practices

The utilization of drones in agricultural operations has seen a significant increase. Drones are now extensively employed in diverse agricultural activities, including the dispersal of seeds and fertilizers, pest identification, and pesticide application. Leading fertilizer and pesticide manufacturers are actively endorsing the use of drone-based spraying technologies to meet the demands of farmers. In the fiscal year 2022-23, Andhra Pradesh utilized 2,200 tonnes of chemicals for crop application. By integrating drones into farming practices, there is a potential 25% reduction in chemical usage. To illustrate, if farmers collectively spend approximately ₹10,000 crores on chemicals, adopting drones could lead to savings of ₹2,500 crores.

Moreover, while conventional spraying of fungicides and herbicides consumes 200 liters of water per acre, drones only require 10 liters. Hand-spraying two acres of land typically takes five to six hours, whereas a drone can accomplish this task in just five to six minutes. The use of drones not only results in significant cost savings but also ensures that consumers receive food products with lower chemical residues. By employing drones, farmers can avoid health risks associated with manual pesticide application and overcome challenges posed by labor shortages.

Satish Saladi, the CEO of the Innovation Centre for Drone Technologies, highlighted to Deccan Chronicle that the integration of drones in agriculture has led to the creation of employment opportunities, especially for young engineers trained as drone pilots for agricultural tasks. One notable initiative is the project initiated by Coromandel, involving 22 drones and 60 pilots for pesticide spraying across clusters from Ongole to Srikakulam, charging ₹450 per acre for this service. Additionally, the company plans to deploy 110 drones to serve Andhra Pradesh and Telangana this year. It is estimated that Andhra Pradesh alone will require at least 40,000 drone pilots to meet the growing demand in the agricultural sector.