CFMTTI on DGCA radar for training drone pilots

Drones in agri

- Centre to promote Kisan drones

- Useful in spraying of pesticides

- FPOs to get subsidies for drones

New Delhi: The aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is in the process of recognizing the Central Farm Machinery Training & Testing Institute (CFMTTI) at Budni, Madhya Pradesh, as a Remote Pilot Training Organization (RPTO), where drone pilots will be trained.

Drones have a tremendous potential to increase consistency and efficiency of crop management, reduce the cost, and minimize the human exposure to hazardous working conditions. In order to popularize the use of drones, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has been interacting regularly with the Ministry of Civil Aviation so that the CFMTTI is recognized as a RPTO, official sources told Bizz Buzz.

In Union Budget 2022-23, the central government announced that the use of Kisan drones will be promoted for crop assessment, digitization of land records, spraying of insecticides and nutrients.

The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has already brought out standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the use of drones in pesticide and nutrient applications. The SOPs provide concise instructions for effective and safe operations of drones.

Farmers and farmers producers organizations (FPOs) are provided subsidies. Agriculture graduates are also eligible to receive financial assistance from the Centre. The subsidized purchase of agriculture drones will make the technology affordable to the stakeholders, resulting in their widespread adoption, the sources said. This would make drones more accessible to the common man in India and will also significantly encourage domestic drone production, they added.

The CFMTTI is the only tractor testing centre in the country and also a national designated authority for testing of tractors as per the OECD standards. Compliance with these standards promotes export of tractors. The institute is also authorized by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways for the testing of tractors, power tillers, combine harvesters and other self-propelled agricultural machines under the Central Motor Vehicle Act (CMVR).

The institute has a testing laboratory for mass emission of exhaust gases of engines which is an essential requirement under CMVR.