According to an official release on Monday, the Indian government has allowed Hyderabad-based International Crops Research Institute (ICRISAT) to utilise drones for agricultural research activities.
Hyderabad-based International Crops Research Institute (ICRISAT) has been permitted to employ drones for agricultural research activities, an official release said on Monday.
The Civil Aviation Ministry has granted the institute "conditional" liberty from few rules that apply to the deployment of drones. The institute can gather data for agricultural research activities within the ICRISAT research field using remotely piloted aircraft systems or drones.
The conditional exemption is valid for six months from the date of allotment or till the full operationalization of Digital Sky Platform, depending on what is achieved first. The liberty will remain valid only if all the conditions and limitations are strictly maintained and followed.
The release cited Amber Dubey, joint secretary in Civil Aviation Ministry, as saying, "Drones are poised to play a big role in the agriculture sector in India especially in areas like precision agriculture, locust control and improvement in crop yield. The government is encouraging young entrepreneurs and researchers to look at ruggedized low-cost drone solutions for the over 6.6 lakh villages in India.”