DGCA Allows Agri Dept to Fly Drones over 100 Districts for Settling Insurance

The Ministry of Agriculture has obtained clearance from the DGCA aviation authority for flying drones to capture photos of wheat and rice lands in 100 districts to test crop production under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana at gram panchayat level, Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.

This is the first remote sensing technology based largest pilot study conducted so far in the country for crop yield estimation, the agriculture minister said in a tweet.In addition to drone-based photos, the wide scale research study also uses high spatial resolution satellite imagery, biophysical simulations, intelligent sensing, artificial intelligence, and many more, he added.

Tomar tweeted, "To facilitate prompt resolutions of claims within PMFBY, @DGCAIndia has authorized the proposition of @AgriGoI for flying drone across 100 districts developing rice & wheat,"

The Minister noted that many remote sensing data-driven pilot trials were reviewed throughout the nation under PMFBY to obtain the appropriate volume of 'Crop Cutting Experiments (CCE)' for intelligent sampling method and CCE rationalisation and direct yield estimate in order to assess correct crop production loss at the insurance unit.

For Kharif 2019 and Rabi 2019-20, approximately 13 companies were enlisted to create technology-driven strategies for targeted yield prediction at gramme panchayat level for pilot studies.