Application of drone technology for sustainable agriculture in western India

Abstract

The most advanced aspect of automation of agriculture is precision agriculture. Precision agriculture has become essential due to its potential and applications. Smart agriculture encompasses various technologies and practices, including smart irrigation, drones, remote sensing, and mapping. These tools can greatly enhance farming operations and address the challenges faced by farmers.
Agricultural drones have come to the aid of farmers and have made farming easier and more efficient. Using drones in smart farming not only makes farming more accurate but also can help become people farm smart. Among agricultural drones, the performance of spraying drones is very impressive and reliable. This article includes information on the potential utilization of drones in agricultural
practices (spraying, crop monitoring and crop surveillance), adoption of drone technology by various implementing centres under ICAR-ATARI Pune Zone, information on drone pilot training, and progress of demonstration. Drone technology has a prominent position in assisting farmers with more efficient decision-making and automating agricultural processes. This could help overcome
some of the adoption barriers faced by farmers in less economically advantaged regions.