Drones in Sustainable Agriculture: Enhancing Food Security and Environmental Impact

Researchers at the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University have made significant findings on the potential of drones in sustainable agriculture. The study, published in the Journal of Agricultural Machinery, highlights the role of drones in precision agriculture, supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by enhancing sustainable farming practices, improving food security, and reducing environmental impact. The research emphasizes the importance of data collected by drones in decision-making concerning irrigation, fertilization, and overall farm management.

Key Takeaways:

• Drones have emerged as a promising technology in precision agriculture, supporting SDGs by enhancing sustainable farming practices, improving food security, and reducing environmental impact.
• The study highlights the multiple applications of drone technology in agriculture, including crop health monitoring, pesticide and fertilizer spraying, weed control, and data-driven decision-making for farm optimization.
• Drones play a vital role in weed management and crop health assessment, with targeted interventions and minimizing environmental impact compared to conventional methods.
• The use of drones in agriculture faces challenges due to batteries and their life, flight time, and connectivity issues, particularly in remote areas.
• Regulatory frameworks and restrictions in different regions also affect the operation of drones, requiring legal challenges to be addressed.
• Continuous research and development initiatives have the potential to solve the challenges depicted above, tapping the fullest potential of drones for achieving sustainable agriculture.

Statistics:

• The study was conducted by researchers at the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, led by S. Rishikesavan, Department of Remote Sensing and GIS.
• The research involved a review of the multiple applications of drone technology in agriculture, including crop health monitoring, pesticide and fertilizer spraying, weed control, and data-driven decision-making for farm optimization.
• The study concluded that drones can be used to acquire the necessary information for decision-making concerning irrigation, fertilization, and overall farm management.
• The journal article "Potential and Pitfalls of Using Drone Technology in Sustainable Agriculture: An Overview" is available in the Journal of Agricultural Machinery, Volume 15, Issue 3, pp. 459-490, 2025.

Sources:

• Potential and Pitfalls of Using Drone Technology in Sustainable Agriculture: An Overview. Journal of Agricultural Machinery, 2025,15(3):459-490.
• NewsRx. Data on Sustainable Food and Agriculture Detailed by Researchers at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (Potential and Pitfalls of Using Drone Technology in Sustainable Agriculture: An Overview). Ecology, Environment & Conservation. September 19, 2025; p 53.