Now farmers can book a drone similar to cab

Bengaluru: Farmers can now book a drone on their mobile just like booking an app-based cab, Ola and Uber. Thus, the drone that is booked will automatically spray the chemicals over the farm plants.

The Flying Wedge Company in partnership with the prestigious L&T is the first fully indigenously developed drone that operates from a mobile application. Accordingly, farmers just need to click on the given application on their smartphone and it will automatically connect to the drone. There you have to select the land with the help of google maps. Then the drone will go and spray the chemical or fertlizers by itself. It can be seen at the Karnataka Pavilion at the Aero India Show.

Although a drone is usually unmanned, its operation requires one. But, there is no need for it here (as per DGCA rules one must be there for safety reasons). Drones will be made available as subscription farmers make bookings. Fertilizer-medication should be put in the tank installed for it and the land should be selected with the help of the map on the mobile phone. In addition, there will be a link to the drone and mobile application. There the spray pattern is also fixed. Accordingly, the operation will be completed," explains TN Suhas Tejaskanda, CEO of Flying Wedge Defence And Aerospace Technologies Private Limited.

All the current tests have been completed and are pending certification by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). About 25 farmer producer organisations have been tied up, 20,000 farmers and approximately 20,000 acres of land will be covered by the organizations. It has the capacity to spray an acre in six minutes and its cost is Rs 3.5-4 lakh. It also gets 70% subsidy from the government. If the farmers cannot buy it, they can also get it on rent through distributors,' he informed.

Farmers do not have direct contact with the chemist as the operation is done through a mobile application. While spraying there is a possibility of falling on their skin. That problem doesn't exist here. It can also be adjusted to move to a specific area of the farm and spray. At present, the payload capacity is up to 16 litres.

It does not require operators. However, as per DGCA rules, one person must be present during drone operation. That's why we recruit and train PUC or graduate youth locally. They serve orders as they come. 50% of the income is given to them. This will also create employment locally', he said.

Trapping for drones : You know how to trap fish in general. Do you know how to trap and capture drones? Yes, Flying Wedge has developed a drone that traps and captures enemy drones. "Capture Drone" has been developed which can identify and trap enemy drones at a distance of about 15 meters. It detects and intercepts drones carrying explosives through its radar and other technologies. TN Suhas said that it has the ability to safely lock the enemy drone in one place.

At present, a company called Delf Dynamic, based in Israel, has developed such a drone, which traps the drone at a distance of about 8 meters. Its price is Rs 50-60 lakh. He responded to a question that the domestically produced "capture drone" is 25 lakhs.