AP drone empanelment process meets its agro-climatic needs

The drone empanelment process in Andhra Pradesh has been meticulously designed to match the state’s agro-climatic requirements, ensuring that only DGCA-compliant drones are deployed for agricultural use, official sources clarified.
“Every state must use drones depending on their specific agricultural conditions. Andhra Pradesh has ensured that only drones meeting technical and environmental criteria are empanelled, ensuring cost-effective, efficient services for farmers,” sources said.
The AP Government has developed crop-specific Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) tailored to the agro-climatic zones of the state in collaboration with the Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University (ANGRAU), which hosts India’s first agricultural Remote Pilot Training Organisation (RPTO). These SOPs guide the evaluation of drones to ensure optimal pesticide spraying efficiency minimising environmental damage.
Sources pointed out that the Department of Agriculture took a structured approach by constituting a technical testing committee, which assessed DGCA-certified drones for their suitability to Andhra Pradesh’s farming conditions.
The results were presented before the State Level Technical Committee (SLTC) for final selection, ensuring that empanelled drones met both performance standards and insurance eligibility for farmers.
Despite the structured selection process, the empanelment drew flak from non-compliant drone vendors. Among them, Drogo Drones was at the centre of controversy, triggering allegations that its product was selected although it did not meet the mandatory ‘Detect and Avoid’ capability.
Official sources, however, refuted these claims. “Drogo Drones voluntarily withdrew from the empanelment process acknowledging that they lacked the required sensor systems. Their Krishi 2.0 model was never selected,” sources said.
The government allowed non-compliant companies to upgrade their drones and participate in future evaluations to maintain transparency. However, officials condemned vendors who attempted to discredit the empanelment process by spreading misinformation and threatening to involve opposition parties.
“The empanelment process was conducted with full transparency and scientific rigour. The aim is to provide farmers with reliable, affordable drones while maintaining regulatory compliance,” sources said.