Startup

Sustainability in farming: the role of drone spraying in reducing pesticide use

Published

4 months ago

July 24, 2024

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In the changing agricultural landscape, strength for sustainability is more important than ever. One of the most important areas of focus is the lower use of insecticides, which have long been a key element of today’s agricultural operations. While insecticides are amazing at controlling pests, they have been criticised for their environmental and fitness results.

As a result, the technology of drones serves as a modern option that guarantees to transform the use of insecticides while contributing to extra environmentally friendly agriculture.

The effects of pesticides on environment and human health

Pesticides protect crops from disease and pests, thereby offering nutrients and agricultural productivity. However, their massive use has raised extreme concerns. Pesticides can pollute air, water, and soil, and harm non-target creatures of helpful pests, birds, and also aquatic life. In addition, crop residues can pose a health hazard to any buyer and farm worker.

Reducing pesticide use while maintaining agricultural yields is a complex challenge that demands innovative solutions. Traditional pesticide application methods such as ground spraying and aerial spraying often lead to uneven distribution and significant waste. It’s the drone technology that’s changing the game.

Drone spraying: accuracy and efficiency

Drone spraying, often called Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) application, uses cutting-edge technology to deliver insecticides with particular precision. These drones are equipped with GPS, sensors, and sophisticated software that allows them to precisely navigate the fields and deliver the most suitable insecticides. This precision minimizes the total amount of insecticide used, reducing environmental contamination and potential damage to non-target species.

One of the maximum critical benefits of drone spraying is its ability to deliver customised treatments. Drones can be programmed to fly along unique trajectories, ensuring that insecticides are applied evenly and exclusively to pest-infested areas. This targeted method is not only effective in insecticide protection, but it additionally reduces the possibility of insect resistance, which is an average problem with conventional blanket spraying techniques.

Advantages of drone spraying

In the quest for sustainable agriculture, drone spraying is emerging as a transformative technology that delivers precision, efficiency, and environmental benefits, noticeably reducing pesticide use while increasing crop conditions and yields. Here’s a look at the top level of its few advantages.

● Reduced chemical use: Drone spraying successfully targets insect hotspots, resulting in reduced chemical use. According to research, drone spraying can reduce pesticide use by up to 30%, resulting in huge reductions in chemical runoff and soil infection.

● Improved crop health and yield: Precision spraying improves crop health and productivity by applying the correct amount of insecticide. In addition, the ability to get into difficult terrain and tend to crops constantly increases the productivity of the farm.

●Cost Effectiveness: While the initial funding for drone technology can be substantial, the long-term benefits are great. Reduced pesticide use and accelerated crop yields result in cheaper expenses and additional revenues for farmers.

● Work efficiency: Drone spraying eliminates the need for manual labour, which is especially beneficial for large farms that are struggling with labour shortages. Drones can cover huge areas quickly and accurately, freeing up human resources for other important work.

●Environmental protection: The precise application of pesticides minimises their impact on the surrounding environment. This is important for preserving biodiversity and protecting ecosystems. In addition, drones have a lower carbon footprint compared to conventional spraying strategies, contributing to overall sustainability.

Overcoming challenges

While the advantages of drone spraying are obvious, there are barriers to wider use. Small-scale farmers may face challenges such as the initial expense of drones and the requirement for technical competence. However, as technology progresses and becomes more accessible, these obstacles are expected to fall.

Drone technology adoption is also heavily influenced by regulatory frameworks. Ensuring that regulations keep pace with technological advancements is critical for fostering innovation while maintaining safety requirements. Governments and agricultural organisations must collaborate to develop policies that encourage the incorporation of drone spraying into traditional farming techniques.

The future of sustainable farming

Drone technology is an important step towards sustainable farming, but it is not a complete solution. Integrating drone spraying with other sustainable methods, such as crop rotation, biological pest control, and organic farming, can result in a more holistic approach to agriculture that prioritizes both productivity and the environment.

As drone technology advances, its use in agriculture is expected to grow. Drones with improved sensors for real-time monitoring of crop health, soil conditions, and insect activity could be among the next developments. These innovations will allow farmers to make data-driven decisions, increasing the efficiency and sustainability of their activities.

In conclusion, drone spraying offers a promising solution to one of the most pressing challenges in modern agriculture: reducing pesticide use while maintaining crop health and productivity. By leveraging precision technology, drones can minimize environmental contamination, enhance crop yields, and contribute to the overall sustainability of farming practices. As we look forward, embracing such innovations will be key to creating a more sustainable and resilient agriculture.

(Vidur Varma is the CEO of Agri Wings)

(Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of YourStory.)

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Startup

Flipkart selects five startups for third cohort of Flipkart Leap Innovation Network

Published

57 mins ago

November 7, 2024

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Flipkart has selected five innovative startups for the third cohort of its flagship startup accelerator programme, Flipkart Leap Innovation Network (FLIN).

The cohort is introducing startups that are driving advancements across GenAI, omnichannel, analytics, and video commerce, the company said in a statement.

The selected startups— Intelligence Node, Invenzo Labs, StoryBrain, Phyllo, and D-ID— are set to run pilot programs with Flipkart to develop solutions.

“The selected startups get access to mentorship, resources, and the opportunity to execute pilot projects within the Flipkart ecosystem, scaling their solutions to meet the demands of India’s digital economy and e-commerce growth,” the company said.

Since its launch in 2022, the accelerator programme aims to accelerate the growth of the startup ecosystem in India, driving collaboration, and championing cutting-edge retail innovations.

“Through the FLIN programme, Flipkart continues to expand its role as a catalyst for innovation within India’s startup ecosystem, providing a collaborative platform for startups to test, refine, and deploy solutions that can shape the future of e-commerce in India,” said Naren Ravula, Vice President and Head – Product Strategy and Flipkart Labs.

The programme is designed to engage with startups through commercial partnerships in Flipkart’s areas of interest. Successful startups get the opportunity to scale up to a business partnership.

Over 20 startups from the initial two cohorts have concluded pilots working closely with the Flipkart Product and Engineering teams.

The company added that four startups from the previous cohort— Anagog, Speedsize, Sangti, and Vtion— have recently concluded successful pilot projects with Flipkart.

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Startup

Thesys secures $4M funding led by Together Fund

Published

2 hours ago

November 7, 2024

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AI startup Thesys bags $4 million funding in a round led by Together Fund. The round also saw participation from 8VC, the company said in a statement.

The startup will use the funding to bridge the gap of user experience with AI agents. As a visual collaboration tool, the company will also provide a platform that will enable businesses to ideate, visualise, and ship intelligent experiences at scale.

“The way we engage with technology is changing faster than ever. Static interfaces simply don’t meet the demands of today’s AI-capabilities…At Thesys, we’re building tools that make it possible for businesses to adapt and thrive in this new era,” said Parikshit Deshmukh, Co-founder, Thesys.

This evolution is about unlocking the full potential of AI-driven interactions and delivering unparalleled user experiences, he added.

“The future of AI relies as much on intuitive, adaptive interfaces as it does on backend capabilities. Thesys’ vision for Generative UI aligns perfectly with Together Fund’s commitment to enabling founders who are redefining the user experience,” said Manav Garg, Co-founder and managing partner of Together Fund.

“By empowering teams to create real-time, personalized interactions, Thesys is setting a new standard for AI-driven interfaces. We’re excited to support their journey in transforming the role of design and development tools for the next generation of AI applications,” he added.

The company, founded by Rabi Shanker Guha and Parikshit Deshmukh this year, emerged from the understanding of the need to provide support in the shift towards AI-driven interfaces, it said.

“Thesys envisions a future where all interfaces dynamically adjust to each user’s behavior, preferences, and needs—driven by what the company calls “Generative UI”. Unlike traditional static interfaces that rely on predefined paths, Generative UI uses AI to create unique, adaptive user interfaces on-the-fly, allowing businesses to provide truly personalized digital experiences,” the company added.

The company plans to launch a UI SDK that is set to enable developers to seamlessly integrate Generative UI into their applications. Additionally, post its closed beta launch, the company plans a general availability (GA) with its product within the next quarter positioning itself as the go-to product toolkit for businesses looking to stay ahead in the AI revolution.

“Thesys is pioneering a transformative shift in UI design workflows by integrating AI-driven adaptability… Their Generative UI approach aligns with our commitment to investing in technologies that drive innovation in user experiences,” said Bhaskar Ghosh, partner at 8VC.

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Startup

BrowserStack launches AI-driven Low Code Automation tool

Published

3 hours ago

November 7, 2024

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Software testing platform BrowserStack has rolled out Low Code Automation, a solution to simplify test automation for quality assurance teams, developers, and non-technical users.

The newly launched solution will address challenges faced by software teams, including manual testing delays and complex automation frameworks, BrowserStack said in a statement.

While traditional test automation requires coding expertise by often limiting non-technical testers to contribute, this tool allows user—irrespective of their technical background—to create and manage AI-driven automated tests without writing code. Users can also use BrowserStack’s cloud infrastructure for reliable test execution.

“(The AI-powered Low-Code Automation (LCA) simplifies the process of building and maintaining test automation suites compared to traditional tools like Selenium. It reduces the steep learning curve and complexity often associated with automation projects, leading to a quicker return on investment (ROI),” Chintan Doshi, Director of Product Management at BrowserStack, told YourStory.

To support development teams worldwide, Low Code Automation speeds up testing cycles, boosts product quality, and enhances user experience by reducing technical barriers.

“Citizen testers—such as business analysts, product managers, and customer support teams—can easily add validations and create automated tests with the test recorder, without requiring coding skills. This reduces their dependency on developers and QAs and empowers them to actively contribute to testing efforts,” Doshi explained.

Founded in 2011 by Ritesh Arora and Nakul Aggarwal, BrowserStack provides a cloud-based platform for developers to test websites and mobile apps across devices, operating systems, and browsers on demand.

With headquarters in San Francisco and Mumbai, the company has expanded its product line to include over 15 products, of which 10 were launched in the past 18 months.

In August, the Accel-backed firm acquired Berlin-based Bird Eats Bug, an advanced bug-reporting tool. The acquisition aims to address the existing gaps in bug reporting and streamline fragmented testing workflows.

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