Drones, also known as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), play a significant role in modern agriculture due to their ability to mount various devices used for data collection and input application. Drones equipped with various sensors and cameras collect high-resolution data. These data can be used for real time identification of crops (crop acreage estimation), crop growth stages (crop growth monitoring), biotic stresses (early detection of crop diseases and pests and nutrient deficiency), abiotic stresses (providing the information about irrigation scheduling), crop health monitoring, yield estimation, crop insurance and risk assessment. Further drones also have applications for input applications such as spraying of chemicals (insecticides and pesticides); foliar application of nutrients, seeding etc. Due to capability of drones to cover large area aerially compared to ground vehicles; drones enable to collect the data and apply the inputs over large area timely and quickly. Thus, drones offer a powerful toolset for modern agriculture, allowing farmers to make data-driven decisions, increase efficiency, and ultimately improve the yield and sustainability of their operations. Further, drones complete hazardous and arduous tasks in faster, efficient and economical way. Applications of drones also have ability to make the farming attractive. In order to make the students, researchers, practioners, farmers and industries aware about the advances in drone technologies that can be explored for agriculture; and bring them on one platform to deliberate about the enhanced possibilities of application of drones in Indian agriculture the “International Symposium on Drones for Agriculture” is organized with following specific objectives.
| Time | Details |
| 0830 to 0945 hrs | Breakfast and Networking |
| 1000 to 1100 hrs | Inauguration |
| 1100 to 1130 hrs | Hi-tea, Networking break |
| 1130 to 1300 hrs | Key Note Session-I (Digital Technologies for Agriculture) |
| 1300 to 1400 hrs | Lunch break |
| 1400 to 1530 hrs | Technical Session-I (Drone based data collection systems including sensors and cameras) Theme Presentations (by invited experts) Presentations of accepted research and practitioners papers. |
| 1530 to 1600 hrs | Poster presentation, Networking and hi-tea |
| 1600 to 1730 hrs | Technical Session-II (Drone based input delivery systems-chemicals, nutrients and seeds) Theme Presentations (by invited experts) Presentations of accepted research and practioners papers |
| Time | Details |
| 0930 to 1100 hrs | Technical Session-III (Advancement in drone technologies and their futuristic applications) Theme Presentations (by invited experts) Presentations of accepted research and practioners papers |
| 1100 to 1130 hrs | Poster presentation, Networking and hi-tea |
| 1130 to 1300 hrs | Technical Session-IV (Challenges and opportunities; and policy measures for use of drones in agriculture) Theme Presentations (by invited experts) Presentations of accepted research and practioners papers |
| 1300 to 1400 hrs | Lunch |
| 1400 to 1530 hrs | Key Note Session-II (Digital Technologies for Agriculture) |
| 1530 to 1600 hrs | Hi-tea, Networking |
| 1600 to 1730 hrs | Concluding Session |
| Name | Designation | Contact |
| Dr. Sachin Nalawade | Head (FMPE) and Member (CAAST-CSAWM), MPKV Rahuri | +91-9422382049 |
| Dr. Sanjay Bhangare | Assistant Professor (FMPE), FMTTC, MPKV Rahuri | +91-9420273482 |
| Dr. Girish Bhanage | Research Associate (CAAST), MPKV Rahuri | +91-8855094029 |
| Er. Nilkanth More | Technical Assistant (CAAST), MPKV Rahuri | +91-9309145101 |
Limited accommodations are available in the guest houses of NCL (CSIR), IITM, IMD, IE(I), NIV, ICAR-NRCs, University of Pune and Govt. guest houses on first-come first-serve and payment basis. The participants can contact them directly or indicate the requirement during the registration process (while submitting the application form). Accommodation will not be available at MPKV Guest houses in Pune. There are plenty of hotels in Pune and especially near the venue of the Symposium. The participants are advised to book these hotels, if required, in advance. The list of the hotels along-with the contacts and the tariffs is available or the Symposium Website.
