As the country celebrated Bharat Drone Mahotsav in the national Capital, a foundation has been laid for an emerging ecosystem of the drone market in India.
The post-Covid Indian scenario had gotten a hang of online delivery mechanism so well that two years down the line, getting things to the doorstep has become a part of businesses. As this idea settles down to mix well with the current logistical landscape across the country, many startups and tech-firms have already begun thinking of ways to use technology and evolve it to take delivery and mapping to another level. This is where Drones become tools of interest and future-shaping. India has acknowledged this well as recent years have seen many reforms inclined towards popularising drones – from liberalising the drone policy, to issuing SOP for using drones to spray pesticides in agricultural, forest lands and non-cropped areas, to permitting FPO’s to receive a grant of up to 75% of the cost of an agriculture drone, to introducing drone-powered solutions and government initiatives like the Svamitva scheme (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas).
Union Finance Minister had announced during the Budget 2022 that the Centre will promote ‘Kisan Drones’ to help farmers assess crops, digitise land records as well as spray insecticides and nutrients. She had also affirmed that drone development is one of the four priorities of the government moving forward. Earlier in February when Prime Minister Modi flagged off 100 Kisan drones in different parts of the country, he celebrated the occasion with a remark that ‘this is the best example of how far the country can fly if policies are drafted with the right spirit.’ The agriculture sector of India especially is rapidly moving towards modernisation with the incubation of Kisan Drones. Drones for agriculture is a concept that talks about a new edge revolution intended to boost the income of farmers, ensure capacity building in the areas of production, supply and more.
The Kisan Drone Suvidha could add a new chapter in the direction of modern agricultural facilities of the 21st century. With Subsidies, farmers’ drone demonstrations, drone pilot courses, and agricultural institutions, the government needs to cultivate a drone ecosystem for the ease of farmers. Farmers Producer Organizations (FPOs), Rural entrepreneurs, and Agri startups are going to occupy the central stage to establish a flourishing Kisan Drone set up for farmers. By banning the imports of drones, the government is securing a way for Indian manufacturers to fill the gap of demand and supply of Drones that may arise in the near future. Subsequently, startups like ‘Garuda’ ‘Aerspace’ are leading the space with target of manufacturing 1 lakh Made-in-India drones in the next 2 years. In addition to doubling farmers’ income, and improving the Agri sector, the motive behind Kisan Drones is to promote chemical-free national farming. Sustainable farming practices are the future of Climate Action-packed initiatives of the governments around the world. Kisan Drones will help farmers avoid wastage of water and also assisting them with collecting, recording and monitoring environmental data, paving the way for smart farming practices.
However, it is not enough to just project, implementation is also very important. There are various challenges associated with implementing Kisan Drones in the rural areas, educating framers for the same is most important of all. The reality is that drone handling could be complex and reading data from the same even more so; flight time and range, battery life, land-holding, physical obstruction, connectivity interruptions, certified usage of chemicals and nutrients, etc need to be researched well to provide specialised training.
As India celebrates ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’, the ‘Made in India’ Kisan drones will leverage country’s goal of “Aatama Nirbhar Krishi” that will not only benefit farms but also encourage Entrepreneurship.
SHARE
