October 31, 2025

A fresh breeze is blowing through Indian farms, and guess who's leading the charge? Drones! At a national conference held on October 30 in Dharwad, the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS) showed how drones are turning farming into a high-tech adventure. Experts shared exciting news. V. P. Chaudhary, Principal Scientist from ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal, discussed many great ways drones help farmers. But the star speaker was UAS Vice-Chancellor P. L. Patil, who called drone technology “a ray of hope” for farmers fighting job shortages, water waste, and chemical misuse. Patil painted a vivid picture: “Drones act as agile eyes in the sky, zipping across fields to capture vivid images and data about crop health, soil conditions, and irrigation patterns.” With their bird’s-eye view, farmers spot yellowing plants, thirsty soil, or sneaky pests early. That means quick action before disaster strikes! He explained, “Drones make daily tasks, like spraying fertilizer and pesticides, more precise and less taxing, giving farmers relief from backbreaking work and reducing their contact with chemicals.” Wow! Imagine less hard work and safer fields. India is ready to soar in drone tech with over 100 agricultural drone companies already buzzing. Patil predicts more than 600 drone-making companies by 2025. That means more innovation and more farmer-friendly gadgets. And here’s a global bonus: drone-based farming has cut chemical use by 30-40% and saved a whopping 222 million tonnes of water worldwide! Talk about eco-friendly farming. Ravi Guttal, Chief Technology Officer of Aequs Limited, is super optimistic, saying, “The days are not far when drone would take up most of the everyday operations in agriculture.” The future is here, and it’s flying high! This lively conference shines a light on how drones are not just flying machines — they’re game-changers for India’s green fields, making farming smarter, safer, and more sustainable.

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Tags: Drone technology, Agriculture, Crop management, Uas dharwad, Farm innovation, Pesticide spraying,