Agricultural Drones Are Saving Costs And Lives In Karnataka
Drones only need 60% of the chemicals and 10% of the water used in manual spraying.
The use of drones in agriculture has taken off in Karnataka, the country's largest producer of coffee, ragi and tomatoes, offering hope in curbing fatalities from accidental pesticide intake.
In 2015, Karnataka reported 1,030 cases of farmer deaths linked to pesticide or insecticide poisoning through accidental intake, according to National Crime Record Bureau data. The state's tally was the third worst after Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
Drones can also be cheaper for farmers in terms of per acre labour costs. And they use 60% of the chemicals and 10% of the water used in manual spraying. To be sure, initial costs can still be prohibitive. BQ Prime earlier reported how drone-sharing is the way forward. Farmers in Karnataka are already seeing the benefits.
“Before drones came into the picture, we had to deal with manpower… For some, the charges could go up to even Rs 1,000. One acre would need at least three to four labourers," said Ashok SA, a farmer who uses drones on his farm in Hesaraghatta on the outskirts of Bengaluru. "…The drone sprays the pesticide uniformly in 10 minutes. The cost is reduced by 50% and farmers benefit.”
That's not all. The multispectral cameras of drones can help farmers map and assess the health of crop and predict yield, said Shivakumar HG of Multiplex Drone Pvt., an agricultural drone manufacturer.