Low-cost drones may soon take root in the agriculture sector, with government support
A new guideline for a program known as ‘Kisan Drone’ is providing large subsidies to farmers and organizations for unmanned aerial vehicles. Experts believe that, given the government's push, drones will soon help India's agricultural sector and other businesses.
A new guideline for a program known as ‘Kisan Drone’ is providing large subsidies to farmers and organizations for unmanned aerial vehicles. Experts believe that, given the government's push, drones will soon help India's agricultural sector and other businesses.
Jyotiraditya Scindia, the minister of civil aviation, recently opened a drone experience studio at the state-run think tank NITI Aayog. His policies include Drone Shakti and Kisan Drone.
In a society where farm revenue accounts for around one-third of non-agricultural households' income, technology can open up a world of possibilities. Advanced technology users, on the other hand, make up less than 1% of the total.
THE PROPOSAL
The goal of the Kisan drone project is to expand the use of drones in three areas: land mapping, agricultural nutrition spraying, and crop remote monitoring.
For forwarding demonstrations, farmers' producer associations might receive a grant worth up to 75% of the drone's cost.
If implementing agencies hire drones for demonstrations rather than buying them, the government would pay them Rs 6,000 per hectare. According to the official, who requested anonymity, these incentives for drone technology promotion will be available by March 31, 2023.
"A normal farm drone costs between Rs 8 lakh and Rs 10 lakh," said Smit Shah, president of the Drone Federation of India, an apex body. The acquisition of agricultural drones has become almost free for prominent agri-research and agri-training institutions as a result of these steps."
Drone recruiting centers will also get money to utilize drones to perform agricultural services. This covers 40% of the drone's base price plus accessories, or Rs 4 lakh, whichever is less.
To be eligible for the grants, hiring centers, and hi-tech hubs would have to be established by farmer cooperative organizations and rural entrepreneurs.
Graduates in agricultural sciences will also be allowed to start hiring centers and qualify for a 50% discount on the cost of a drone.
LATEST TECHNOLOGY
According to the Drone Federation, the new incentives will aid in the adoption of modern technologies in the country's antiquated farm business.
"2021 saw technology get closer to the ground with upstream agritech deals overtaking downstream deals in India for the first time," Mark Kahn, a spokesperson for Omnivore, an agritech-focused venture capital firm in India, told in an interview. During the epidemic, agritech start-ups were critical in helping smallholder farmers maintain their livelihoods."
"Agriculture is one of the main sectors where people are adopting drone technology very rapidly, and there is a huge niche marketplace that is yet to be reached," Vishal Saurav, CEO, and founder of VFLYX India, a drone technology firm based in Bengaluru, stated in an interview a few weeks ago.
“Right now, very few people in the agriculture industry know about using drone technology. Drones can be utilized for a variety of tasks, including seeding crops, spreading fertilizers and pesticides, soil/crop analysis, and surveillance, among others," he explained.
According to Saurav, Indian farmers confront numerous issues in the agriculture sector that can be addressed with drone technology.
"Agriculture is one of India's most vital businesses, and it has the prospective to develop even bigger with the help of technology." It will aid in growing and improving yield quality, benefiting farmers and boosting their contribution to the country's GDP," he added.
Also Read: https://tractornews.in/articles/pm-kisan-maan-dhan-yojana/
