The Ministry of Civil Aviation has allowed its Agriculture counterpart to use drones at night to combat locust swarms in western and central India. The approval from the Ministry of Civil Aviation comes a little over a month after the Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage (DPPQS), which comes under the Ministry of Agriculture, was made the nodal agency for using drones in anti-locust operations.
Presently, it has engaged five companies to provide a total of 25 drones for effective control of locusts settling on tall trees and inaccessible areas. Till now, 12 drones have been deployed for locust control in Jaisalmer, Barmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner and Nagaur.
The latest clearance will allow the agri department to use drones weighing up to 50 kilogramme with its payload, as opposed to the earlier limit of 25 kg quadcopter restriction. These engine-powered drones will have three times the flight time and will be able to carry 60 percent more pesticides than those currently in operation.
According to the ministry, India has become the first country in the world to use drones for locust control after finalising the protocols. Use of drones has added one additional dimension as it is effective for tall trees and inaccessible areas, the ministry said. One drone can cover 16-17 hectares area in one hour.