Haryana's First Female Agri Drone Pilot Empowers Thousands of Farmers

In a remarkable tale, Nisha Solanki, a woman from Jhajjar, Haryana, has achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first drone pilot from her state. Collaborating with Maharana Pratap Horticulture University in Karnal, she will play a crucial role in training farmers to operate drones.

Nisha Solanki, aged 30, has obtained her Remote Pilot Certificate from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), granting her permission to operate agricultural drones for pesticide spraying. Throughout the state, she has conducted more than 750 demonstrations for farmers.

In September of the previous year, a multitude of farmers gathered in Karnal district, Haryana, to witness innovative farming equipment that promised to reduce costs and save time. Surprisingly, it was a woman who would operate this equipment. Equipped with a 15-kg drone, Nisha Solanki arrived at the field and confidently claimed that she could efficiently spray pesticides using only 10 liters of water, a significant reduction compared to the 150 liters required for manual spraying on an acre of farmland.

Also Read:- Success Story of Smt. Bhavana Nikam– A Progressive Woman Farmer

Initially, the farmers harbored doubts about utilizing drones for crop spraying, and Nisha Solanki herself experienced some nervousness. However, after successfully flying the drone and witnessing its uniform pesticide distribution upon its return, her confidence soared. She took the farmers inside the field to demonstrate the precise and even distribution achieved with 15 times less water. The entire process merely took five minutes, leaving the farmers astounded.

Nisha Solanki pursued advanced studies in farm machinery and power engineering. In 2019, while working with the Department of Horticulture, she was assigned to observe a demonstration by IoTechWorld, a drone manufacturing company based in Gurugram. This marked her first encounter with a drone, arousing her curiosity and setting her on a path that eventually led to her remarkable achievements.

Also Read:- Role of Women in Agriculture, Breaking Grounds By Shattering Stereotypes 

In 2022, driven by her curiosity, she pursued certification as a drone pilot and successfully obtained her Remote Pilot Certificate from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). In India, it is mandatory for agri drones to be operated only by pilots certified by the DGCA.

After achieving this milestone, Nisha took advantage of an opportunity to collaborate with the Indian Council of Research (ICAR) and offer complimentary drone farming demonstrations to farmers across different states. To date, she has conducted approximately 750 demonstrations, effectively covering extensive areas within the state, including Karnal, Hisar, Ambala, Kaithal, Kurukshetra, Fatehadad, Sonipat, and Yamunanagar districts.

Also Read:- Meet Leena Sharma, Empowering Women Through Natural Farming