Fertiliser maker Coromandel International on Friday said it conducted its first drone trials, in line with the government of India’s intent on promoting use of drones in farming, in Hyderabad.
Besides an element of precision that accompanies use of drones, for spraying of fertilisers and pesticides, this method is also expected to help farmers address the issue of labour unavailability during peak season as well as reduce time taken to complete the task.
“The trials are our first step towards embracing this next-gen technology,” managing director Sameer Goel said. The guidelines issued by Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to make drone technology affordable to stakeholders in the agricultural sector is indeed a major boost towards promoting precision farming in the country, he said.
The Centre had, in December, released standard operating procedures for use of drones towards pesticide application. Statutory provisions, flying permissions, area distance restrictions, weight classification, overcrowded areas restriction, drone registration, safety insurance, piloting certification, operation plan, air flight zones and weather conditions were some of the aspects covered.
With drones, it takes only a few minutes to spray fertilizers and permitted pesticides on an acre as opposed to 5-6 hours manually. Also, crops at any height can be effectively reached, as drones ensure comprehensive and equal distribution of fertilisers and pesticides, the company said in a release.
