Future Of Drones In Agriculture In India: How Is It Changing The Future Of Agriculture?
Overview Of The Current State Of Agriculture In India
Agriculture in India is one of the primary sources of income for many Indians. Almost 70% of India’s people are employed in agriculture. India is also the biggest cattle (buffalo) holder in the world and has the maximum land dedicated to the production of crops such as wheat, rice, cotton and more.
Apart from this, the landscape of agriculture in the country is constantly evolving and is seeing a lot of development. The advancement of technology and the progress in science have increased the scope for scientific methods of agriculture to be adopted. Regenerative farming and agricultural drones are both examples of these.
Related Blog: Drone for Agriculture in India: All Farmers Need to Know!
Future Of Drones In Agriculture In India
Drones have been a part of agriculture for a while now, however recent developments in the field have led to an increase in their application.
According to Frost and Sullivan, drone adoption in India’s agriculture sector would rise at a CAGR of 38.5% and reach $121.43 million by 2030, accounting for 2% of all expenditures on agricultural machinery. More than 50% of the market is occupied by spraying activities.
How Does The Future Of Drones In Indian Agriculture Look?
The future of drones in agriculture looks extremely promising because drones are becoming easily accessible while also widely applicable in the agricultural sector. This could be better understood by understanding the three main components that will affect the future of drones in India:
First off, compared to regular satellites, drones have a greater range and are more precise in real-time imagery. Intricate drones that can create realistic 3D pictures of the region using multi-spectral, hyper-spectral, and thermal sensors are becoming more and more common.
Second, drones will be necessary for farmers to cover their land in a way that uses less time and effort. Spraying takes 40–60 times longer than an aerial application of fertilizers, herbicides, and other inputs.
Drones may also be used to monitor plant development and spot pests, weeds, and other dangers. Drone data may be used by farmers to forecast harvesting cycles and potential output.
Will The Use Of Drones In Agriculture Lead To Job Loss?
The possibility cannot be denied. Harsh but true, according to a PwC report, drones are expected to take over 127$ billion worth of human labour.
This move is also fueled by the rising cost of human labour and the inability to find the labour in remote areas. Drones prove an effective alternative offering many benefits such as reduced costs, data-backed insights, and reduction in output time hence drones could lead to job loss.
How Does The Use Of Drones In Indian Agriculture Compare To Other Countries?
The use of drones in Indian agriculture is still in its early stages compared to other countries. However, in recent years there has been a growing interest in using drones for various agriculture applications such as crop spraying, crop monitoring, and crop mapping. The Indian government has also recognized the potential of drones in agriculture and has taken steps to promote their use in the sector. Additionally, various private companies and organizations have started to offer drone-based services to farmers in India. However, the use of drones in agriculture is still limited and is mostly concentrated in a few regions of the country. compared to other countries like the US, Japan, and Australia which have been using Drones for a few years for Agriculture purposes already.
The global market for agriculture drones is anticipated to reach US$4.4 billion by 2024, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30.2% throughout the research period, notwithstanding the COVID-19 problem. With a projected 31.1% share of the global market, the United States is the largest regional market for agriculture drones. By the end of the analysis period, it is anticipated that the market would have grown to US$1.9 billion. With a CAGR of 36.9% during the research, China is predicted to lead the growth and become the area with the quickest rate of expansion.
However, India being one of the largest agricultural economies, the application of drones in the country remains wider than in most countries.
Challenges And Limitations Of Drone Adoption In Indian Agriculture
A big number of farmers have employed agricultural drones as one of the technological tools for intelligent agricultural production to provide themselves with accurate and useful monitoring information as well as to swiftly and effectively grasp pertinent information about farm crops.
A costly technological instrument, agricultural drones will eventually make up a larger share of intelligent agricultural output thanks to the quick development of related software.
Here we list down the challenges that are faced in the application of drones.
1. Regulatory Hurdles And Safety Concerns
Drones with a lot of legal restrictions in India and their application are limited in sensitive areas such as borders and other locations. There is also the concern of data sharing which can be valuable for the protection of the county.
2. Limited Access To Technology And Training
Since the majority of the people employed in farming come from rural areas, their access to technology and training is limited. This affects how farmers learn to use and apply innovative technology for their benefit.
3. Potential Impact On Employment In The Agriculture Sector
One of the biggest fears with the application of drones in agriculture is its impact on the need for human labour. Agriculture is a labour-intensive field which leads to job creation for many skill-based labours. However, if drones replace the need for humans in activities such as spraying, and sowing the demand for labour will be reduced.
Conclusion
In the constantly evolving world, it is important to move with time and improve the way one does business. It is important to adopt technology and upskill ourselves to achieve higher productivity. And drones can help you do the same.
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