CHENNAI: In a bid to strengthen agriculture and survey activities, the Tamil Nadu Unmanned Aerials Vehicles Corporation (TNUAVC), under the Higher Education Department, will be procuring type-certified agri drones and survey grade drones.
A senior official from the department, said that these drones had undergone rigorous testing and received approval from Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for safety, performance, and operational standards.
“This certification is mandatory for all purposes and makes them eligible for subsidies and loans,” he added. “TNUAVC has floated a tender for procuring both types. Light-weight agri drones are made of carbon fibre and provide all types of solutions for farmers.”
The key features include precise technology with required nozzles and will come with firm anti-interference with antennas. “It will be also an independent drone with early warning, automatic return and accurately spraying any type of pesticide in the direction of plant growth,” he stated. “Around 50 agri drones will be procured. These do not require a complicated assembly and also carries a flight crash warranty.”
Survey drones are developed for high-accuracy aerial surveying and mapping of land and other required places. They are equipped with advanced imaging technology to get clear, non-pixelated photos and video footage.
“These drones will also have high security features including refusal to share data by default to unknown users. They will be developed to fly in various environments, and can also withstand extreme hot and cold temperatures as per our state’s weather conditions,” the official explained.