Agri-Drones for Next Generation Farming

46 IN PERSPECTIVE

Agri-Drones for Next Generation Farming

Indian farming is marred by low productivity and high investment, making it unsustainable for small farmers. However, drone-based precision farming has the potential to bring Indian agriculture out of decades of trough.

By Nagarajan P, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechatronics, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology

Precision farming is one of the most scientific and modern approaches to sustainable agriculture that has gained momentum in the 21st century. Precision farming aims to improve crop performance and environmental quality. It is defined as the application of technologies and principles to manage spatial and temporal variability associated with all aspects of agricultural production (Pierce and Nowak, 1999).

Labor shortages in many villages in Tamil Nadu today are making plantation farmers consider precision farming. The Bannari Amman Institute of Technology is engaging with farmers in one such village, Sathyamangalam in Erode district, who primarily grow jasmine plants, to take up precision farming.

Apart from labor shortage, the jasmine farmers also face health issues – their lungs and skin are affected by the use of insecticides and pesticides. In order to overcome such challenges, the Institute has suggested they do precision farming using drone technology. Autonomous drones can address the issue of spraying insecticide and fertilizer, eliminating the challenge of labor shortage and reducing the possibility of health problems.

Advantages of using drone technology

In general, jasmine growers have to spray insecticides once every four days during the blooming period to control the spread of insects and disease. For this, they have to rely on manual labor. Labor-intensive activities often result in mistakes and unintended costs, plus the quality of produce gets affected. Finally, the farmers end up with more investment and less income.

A team of experts from the Institute conducted a field study in the jasmine fields to determine the correct insecticide to water ratio, travelling speed, nozzle pressure, and various other parameters.

The team found manual spraying used more insecticides and water than

drone-enabled spraying. Farmers used one liter of insecticide mixed with 160 liters of water for an acre of jasmine fields. Meanwhile, drone spray reduced the consumption to 750 ml of insecticide with 40 liters of water. Further, the cost involved for manual spraying of 10 liters was Rs. 60, with the total cost incurred per acre of jasmine field coming to around Rs. 960, and the time taken to complete the spraying around three hours. Instead, the agri-drone vendors charged around Rs. 700 for an acre and took only 15 minutes to finish spraying.

The agriculture drones can also be used for other applications like soil analysis, field monitoring, crop health monitoring, livestock tracking, and more.

The main advantage of using drone-spray is that it can be effectively localized in a field. When a part of the field is infected and demands high concentration of insecticide/ fertilizer, it can be monitored and administered effectively by using drone technology. Overuse or higher concentration of chemicals over the crops is detrimental for crop growth. This is often the case with manual spraying. Although the initial investment for purchasing an agri-drone can be high, a few small farmers can form a co-operative and purchase a drone for their collective use. Also, agriculture drones need not be limited to jasmine plantations. They can be used for coconut, sugarcane, and areca nut plantations, as well as crops like paddy, wheat, turmeric, etc.

Drones equipped with cameras have several additional applications that can make agriculture sustainable. These drones can be used to monitor crop growth and water levels, analyze crop health, monitor livestock, etc. Spraying weedicide using drones before planting is a common solution for all fields. Recent research shows that the drones can also be used for pollination and seeding. Drone technology also helps improve the consistency and yield of crop produce.

The team members from the Bannari Amman Institute of Technology are involved in extending and optimizing the standard operating procedure for sugarcane and coconut plantations. The Institute is also carrying out research and development work in developing and manufacturing of affordable drones for small farmers. The standard operating procedures developed by the institute personnel will act as a reference for the use of agri-drones.

Promoting agri-drones

In order to promote the use of drones in agriculture, the Indian government has announced funding support to various Farmer Produce Organizations (FPOs) and individuals. The Center provides 40% financial support (of up to Rs. 4 lakh) to Custom Hiring Centers (CHCs) set up by cooperatives and FPOs for purchasing drones. Another 50% (or up to Rs. 5 lakh) will be given for drone purchase to agriculture graduates in establishing CHCs. In the Union Budget 2022/2023, the government has decided to establish a special fund for agricultural technology start-ups. Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, has said that the drone technology for farming should be made available even for the smallest farmers in villages. The budget outlines multiple paths for the rise of the drone industry, with the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) fund, which focuses on promoting agricultural drones and supporting startups, helping the drone industry arrive at new milestones. In addition, the Indian government is also looking for drones to assess crops, digitize land records and spray pesticides in farmlands. Start-ups based on drone technology for farming could be a good option for budding entrepreneurs.

Way forward

The Indian economy primarily relies on agricultural activities. It engages around 50% of the rural population and contributes 17% to the country’s GDP. A large number of the rural poor still depend on low-productivity crops like spices, mangoes, etc. for their livelihoods and contribute little to India’s agricultural exports. One of the reason for this is small land holdings (one-two hectares on average) and relatively little mechanization. Also, Indian farmers practice mixed farming and plantations, which are not suitable for dronebased agriculture. Some crops, such as jasmine, areca nut, and sugarcane, which cannot be mixed with other crops, are more appropriate for drone spraying.

Precision agriculture can help 87% of Indian small farmers improve their productivity. Drone technology, in particular, gives farmers the ability to more effectively use fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation water without polluting the environment.

Recent research shows that the drones can also be used for pollination and seeding.