Maharashtra, 17th January 2025: In the heart of Jalgaon district, Maharashtra, farmers have embraced Marut Drone Academy’s cutting-edge drone technology to protect and enhance their banana and cotton crops. With banana crops reaching up to 10 feet in height, the need for pesticide spraying is critical to prevent fungal diseases like Karpa, which can cause leaf blight and reduce the number of functional leaves on banana plants. Without proper spraying, the growth of the banana plant is severely hindered.
Niranjan, a trained drone pilot from the region, is now flying drones to spray pesticides over banana plantations. His expertise, gained through training at Marut Drone Academy, has not only helped him manage his own farm but also benefited neighboring farmers engaged in banana and cotton cultivation. “I used to struggle with labor shortages and the difficulty of spraying such large crops manually. Now, with drones, I can spray much faster and more effectively,” Niranjan explains.
The challenge for cotton farmers is equally pressing. The Bundai disease, common in cotton plantations, causes significant damage by reducing the weight of cotton and hindering flowering. For these farmers, spraying pesticides traditionally involved risking the safety of laborers, as they were required to manually enter the fields where pesticides needed to be applied. Furthermore, laborers were often unwilling to work in these hazardous conditions, especially when crops were dense or when the fields had to be sprayed after rainfall.
Marut’s drones have provided a solution to these challenges. Unlike manual labor, drones can spray large areas quickly and efficiently— covering up to 5 acres in just one hour. This efficiency is especially important in the rainy season, as pesticide consistency often breaks down in wet conditions. When spraying with drones, the crop can absorb fertilizers within just one hour, ensuring effective treatment even if the weather changes. In contrast, manual spraying requires at least one day per acre, and the effects are diminished if it rains the next day.
For maize farmers in the region, drones are also proving invaluable. Snakes are a major threat to farmers, and drone spraying eliminates the need for workers to enter the fields, reducing the risk of snake bites.
Despite the significant benefits, the adoption of drone technology has been slowed by challenges such as limited government subsidies for drones. Farmers have expressed hope that these obstacles will soon be overcome, as they recognize the tremendous impact drone technology has already had on their farming practices.
“The technology is truly a game-changer. It has saved us time, reduced labor costs, and increased the efficiency of our pesticide application. I believe that with more support and awareness, we can see even more widespread use of drones in our region,” says Niranjan.
Marut Drone Academy’s drone pilot training programs continue to empower local farmers like Niranjan, providing them with the skills needed to operate drones and enhance their productivity. As the adoption of drone technology continues to grow, it holds the promise of revolutionizing agriculture in Maharashtra, making farming more efficient, sustainable, and safer for all involved.