Page 45 - IMDR Journal 2025

Research Article
● Simplify the rules for drone usage complicated and confusing. Many farmers and agri-
businesses aren’t sure what’s allowed and what’s not. Strict
● Provide access to affordable drone services
airspace rules and a slow, paperwork-heavy approval
Collaboration is crucial. If drone manufacturers, process make it difficult and expensive for farmers to get
agricultural experts, and government agencies work started, which puts many off.
together, they can raise awareness, provide hands-on help,
and build trust in the technology. Ultimately, making drones Although the government has taken steps like launching the
affordable, simplifying regulations, and educating farmers Kisan Drone initiative there’s still no simple, farmer-
are the three big steps that can push drone farming forward. friendly system in place. Without clear and easy-to-follow
guidelines, it’s hard for drone use to grow on a larger scale.
Bringing drones to Indian agriculture is a complex journey
shaped by cost, technology, government policy, and That’s a missed opportunity, because drones can do a lot of
environmental concerns. But if done appropriately, drones good. They help farmers use just the right amount of water,
can help make farming not just easier but smarter, more fertilizer, and pesticides cutting down on waste and reducing
sustainable, and more profitable for farmers across the environmental damage. For example, drones with smart
country. sensors can help manage irrigation more efficiently, saving
huge amounts of water. And with water scarcity being such a
Studies show that high upfront investment and ongoing
big issue in India, this kind of technology could make a real
maintenance make it tough for these farmers to even
difference. However, environmental challenges persist.
consider the switch. Most of them own small plots, often Drone manufacturing, use, and disposal include material
under one hectare, so it’s harder for them to see the benefit of and energy consumption, contributing to the environmental
spending so much. Add to that the cost of upkeep and data footprint. Additionally, the potential for drones to disturb
processing, and the challenge grows even bigger. Managing wildlife and disrupt local ecosystems necessitates careful
drone software, storing and analysing crop data, and consideration and the development of guidelines to mitigate
repairing or replacing parts can all be difficult especially for such impacts. Balancing technological advancement with
small-scale farmers with limited resources.
ecological preservation is crucial for the sustainable
Another hurdle is access to credit. Many farmers already implementation of drone technology in agriculture.
struggle to get loans, so investing in advanced tools like
The adoption of Drone technology has enormous potential
drones feels out of reach.
to improve sustainability, efficiency, and productivity in
There’s also a social aspect. In some areas, people worry that Indian agriculture. But addressing the financial, technical,
machines will replace jobs, which makes them hesitant to regulatory, and environmental challenges is imperative to
accept new technologies. fully realize this potential. Collaborative efforts involving
Technical limitations are another concern. Most drones policymakers, industry stakeholders, and the farming
can’t carry large loads of fertilizer or pesticide, so they have community are essential to develop supportive frameworks,
to make several trips back and forth to cover even a medium- provide training and resources, and create an enabling
sized field. This takes extra time and uses more energy environment for Drone incorporation into India's
cutting into efficiency. agricultural landscape.
Drones aren’t plug-and-play either. They require skill to use Government Initiatives Driving Drone Adoption in Indian
properly. Right now, many farmers don’t have the training Agriculture
they need, and there aren’t enough programs to teach them. Although there is a lot of promise for drone technology
Even when drones collect useful data, farmers need special integration in Indian agriculture, adoption is still in its
tools and knowledge to turn that information into actions infancy, navigating various economic, technical, and
and most don’t have access to either. regulatory hurdles. While drones hold the promise of
Lastly, internet connectivity in rural areas is still a problem. revolutionizing agricultural productivity, efficiency, and
Without it, farmers can’t get real-time updates or process sustainability, their widespread deployment depends on
data on the spot, which limits how much drones can help. overcoming key challenges and leveraging targeted
The current lack of training programs and educational government interventions.
resources means that many farmers are ill-equipped to To accelerate drone adoption, The Indian government has
operate and maintain drone systems effectively. launched several projects. A financial push of Rs. 120 crore
Data processing and interpretation present additional (US$14.39 million) is provided via the Production Linked
hurdles. While drones can collect vast amounts of data, Incentive (PLI) scheme to encourage domestic drone
converting this information into actionable insights requires manufacturing and lessen reliance on imports. To help
advanced analytical tools and expertise, which are often farmers adopt drone technology, the government has rolled
inaccessible to the average farmer. out several support schemes aimed at making drones more
affordable and accessible.
Connectivity issues in rural areas further impede the real-
time transmission and processing of data, limiting the One of the key programs is the Sub-Mission on Agricultural
possible advantages of drone technology. Mechanization (SMAM). Under this scheme, farmers can
get financial aid to buy drones for their fields. So far, more
The rules around using drones in Indian farming play a big
role in how widely they’re adopted. Right now, the system is than 240 drones have already been subsidized through the
Kisan Drone Scheme, and there are plans to set up over

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