DRONAI: IFFCO to Promote Nano Fertilizers Using Drone & Artificial Intelligence Technologies

The Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative (IFFCO) has announced plans to promote the use of nano fertilizers, such as nano Urea and Nano DAP, using drones and artificial intelligence technologies across India. The DRONAI program aims to promote the foliar application of nano fertilizers and other agrochemicals by combining drone, nano, artificial intelligence, and mobile technologies. Farmers can access these technologies through a mobile app that will make spraying efficient, cost-effective, and safe. While spraying, AI-based software can detect crop growth and health, guiding farmers toward smart farming.

The DRONAI program's focus is to build a successful drone spraying system, operate it in coordination with rural youth and farmers, and train them in advanced technologies to promote rural entrepreneurship. All mandatory protocols related to drones, their transport vehicles, and safe flying are built into the process and coordinated through the farmer-friendly mobile app. This high-end, integrated drone technology can be promoted in agriculture, helping farmers to practice hi-tech smart farming.

DRONAI helps monitor and guide drone technology effectively in agriculture and promotes nano fertilizer and agrochemicals spray safely in larger areas at a low cost to farmers. A unique electric tri-wheeler has been designed for the safe transport of drones to farmers' fields. An integrated software platform that can run under any mobile will be available for farmers, connecting all users, including the drone operator, farmer, field officer, and central control unit. This would help monitor drones on a dynamic basis and spray efficiency remotely.

The app would also allow farmers to book spray well in advance with a click in the app. Through DRONAI technology, spraying costs to farmers are expected to reduce by 50%, saving time and avoiding drudgery and health issues associated with the manual spraying of agricultural chemicals.

The trial module of DRONAI was launched by IFFCO in technical collaboration with Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) on May 2 at the Agricultural Research Station, TNAU, Coimbatore, India. Dr. U.S. Awasthi, Managing Director, IFFCO, inaugurated the program in the presence of Dr. V. Geethalakshmi, Vice Chancellor, TNAU.

Yogendra Kumar, Marketing Director, IFFCO, and Dr. A. Lakshmanan, Managing Director, IFFCO-Nanoventions, addressed the farmers on the importance of integrated drone technology in smart farming. Around 450 farmers from different districts participated in this program to learn more about drone, nano and artificial intelligence technologies in agriculture.

The DRONAI program was jointly organized by TNAU and IFFCO. The program aims to promote the use of advanced technologies in farming and make it accessible to farmers across India. It is expected to revolutionize the agriculture sector, making farming more efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable while reducing the burden of manual labour and health risks associated with traditional methods.

Source-ANI

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