Enthused by the increased adoption of drone technology by Kerala’s farming community, Marut Drones – a leading drone manufacturer – intends to create 500 drone entrepreneurs by this year end.
The initiative is expected to attract young individuals to take up agriculture activities as a profession and become drone operators. By using drones for spraying pesticides and fertilizers, drone operators can potentially earn up to ₹50,000-60,000 per month. The company officials said that it is collaborating with Calicut University, Trivandrum Central University and Kerala Government to provide drone training.
Prem Kumar Vislawath, Founder and CEO said there are plans for a State-wide awareness drive for farmers to inform them about the financial advantages of adoption of drone technology. “Certainly, there is an increased demand from farmers in Kerala now, farmers admit that it is a cost-effective and time-saving alternative,” he said.
Expanding dealer network
The adoption of drone technology among small-scale farmers will help in precision-spraying, reducing water and fertilizer application by 70 per cent and increasing the yield by 30 per cent, he said adding that the company has also plans to expand its dealer network in Kerala and educate farmers by training them in drone operation.
Farmers in Kerala are embracing drone technology for cultivating mangoes, rubber, and paddy. The drone technology is being seen as an effective measure by farmers in Alappuzha for paddy, for both rubber and paddy in Kottayam and for mango plantations in Muthalmada in Palakkad — one of the largest mango-producing regions. The drone tech solutions will help in climate resilient agriculture, manage pests and in turn, bring down the farming costs while ensuring additional yield, the officials said.