Drone technology is revolutionising agriculture

In the verdant, river-laced plains of Bangladesh, agriculture remains more than just an economic sector, it is the very pulse of the nation. With over 41 per cent of the population engaged in farming and agriculture contributing around 14 per cent to the GDP, the sector's relevance cannot be overemphasised. Yet, it stands at a crossroads. From erratic weather patterns driven by climate change to dwindling arable land and labour shortages due to urban migration, agriculture here is under siege. Amid these constraints, the country's agricultural transformation is being reimagined through a new lens -- drone-assisted smart agriculture.

Once perceived as a futuristic concept, drone technology, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), is steadily reshaping approach to farming across Bangladesh's fields. From Barishal to Bogura, aerial robots are no longer just spectacles; they are tools for precision and survival.

These drones are far from hobbyist gadgets. They are increasingly being fitted with high-resolution cameras, infrared sensors, GPS modules, and machine learning algorithms. Their roles are multi-pronged: mapping farmlands, monitoring crop health, identifying pest outbreaks, assessing post-disaster damage, and even spraying fertilisers and pesticides with high precision. This is not just efficiency -- it's evolution.

The core advantage drones bring to agriculture is rooted in their ability to provide real-time, data-driven insights. Equipped with multispectral sensors, drones can analyse soil moisture levels, detect plant diseases before they become visible to the naked eye, and assess nutrient deficiencies with pinpoint accuracy. This not only enables more judicious application of fertilisers and pesticides -- cutting costs and reducing environmental harm-but also ensures higher yields through timely interventions. Traditional methods of scouting entire fields on foot are rapidly becoming obsolete.

This technological pivot has not occurred in isolation. A significant push has come from institutional backing. In 2024, the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), in partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), rolled out pilot initiatives that integrated drones and satellite imaging into routine field assessments. More than 300 agricultural extension officers across multiple upazilas received training in remote sensing technologies, learning to interpret aerial imagery for drought stress, pest patterns, and flood-induced crop losses.

The World Bank has also stepped in decisively. Under its $578 million Climate-Smart Agriculture Investment Plan, launched in 2023, more than 127,500 Bangladeshi farmers have adopted smart technologies, including UAVs. Initial outcomes are compelling: many participating farmers report yield improvements ranging from 15 per cent to as high as 60 per cent a hectare, depending on crop type and region. In a country where per capita arable land is shrinking and climate volatility is increasing, such gains are not just desirable, they are imperative.

The government has recognised this momentum and is taking concrete steps to facilitate broader adoption. The Ministry of Agriculture is currently working with the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) to develop a regulatory framework for drone usage in the agri-sector. This includes licensing provisions, airspace management, data governance, and user training. While these regulations are still in nascent stages, their formulation is crucial for building trust and ensuring safe, scalable operations.

Yet, challenges persist. Cost is a major barrier. High-end agricultural drones, especially those capable of spraying or covering large fields autonomously, can cost up to Tk 300,000-500,000. For the majority of smallholder farmers -- who make up over 80 per cent of Bangladesh's farming community -- such an investment is prohibitive. To address this, cooperatives and farmer producer groups (FPGs) are being encouraged to jointly own and operate drones. Private sector startups like AgriBotX and iFarmer have also emerged, offering drone services on a per-acre rental basis, thus reducing entry barriers.

Technical know-how is another hurdle. The operational sophistication of drones demands trained personnel. Recognising this, organisations like Solidaridad Network and BRAC have initiated community-based drone literacy programmes in rural areas. These initiatives for training young agri-entrepreneurs in drone operations, maintenance, and data interpretation seek to create a new cohort of tech-savvy service providers within the farming communities.

There is also a growing momentum in the academic and R&D space. Universities like the Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) and institutions like BARC (Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council) are now incorporating drone technology into their research and extension curricula. Collaborative research efforts are underway to refine drone-assisted pest forecasting models and integrate UAV data into national crop insurance schemes-a crucial step in risk mitigation.

Meanwhile, artificial intelligence (AI) is quietly supercharging the capabilities of drones. The Smart Agro Development Technology project, an initiative developed by a team of AI researchers and agronomists, exemplifies this synergy. Using neural network-based classifiers trained on thousands of annotated crop images, SMARD-enabled drones can identify over 30 different crop diseases with an accuracy exceeding 92 per cent. Once disease is detected, the system recommends treatment protocols and nearest input sources via an integrated mobile app. This intelligent feedback loop minimises crop loss, maximises productivity, and empowers farmers with actionable intelligence.

The benefits of drones are not just agronomic, they are economic and environmental. With drones enabling precise, need-based application of agrochemicals, the ecological footprint of farming is reduced. Less pesticide runoff into water bodies, fewer emissions from mechanised field equipment, and improved soil health are tangible environmental dividends. Economically, drones reduce labour costs and speed up field operations. A drone can spray a hectare of rice in 10-12 minutes -- a task that could take a labourer half a day, especially in summer heat or post-disaster conditions.

Post-disaster assessment is another area where drones are proving invaluable. In the aftermath of Cyclone Sitrang in 2022 and the floods of 2023 in Sylhet, drones deployed by NGOs and district administrations provided rapid assessments of damaged croplands, enabling prompt compensation disbursement under government relief programmes. This not only cut response time but also reduced corruption and misallocation of funds -- issues that have long plagued traditional damage assessment practices.

The future, too, is promising. Trials are underway in Rajshahi and Khulna to link drone imagery with blockchain-enabled farm traceability systems. This would allow buyers, including exporters and supermarkets, to verify farm conditions and input practices through time-stamped drone footage -- opening doors to premium pricing and international market access for local producers. Imagine a UK consumer scanning a mango label and seeing a drone-captured aerial snapshot of the orchard in Meherpur from where it was sourced -- that's the level of transparency the future promises.

Still, for this vision to materialise at scale, policy and infrastructural alignment are critical. Experts advocate for a national Smart Agriculture Policy that unifies standards for drone tech, AI systems, data protection, and public-private collaboration. There is also a need for a national agri-tech innovation fund to support startups and farmer groups adopting drone technology.

Simultaneously, donor agencies and development banks must continue to support capacity-building initiatives. Partnerships with telecom companies will be essential too, as most drones depend on stable 4G/5G connectivity to relay real-time data -- a limitation in many rural and remote regions of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh stands at a pivotal juncture. Its agricultural heritage is rich, but the challenges ahead are formidable. By adopting drone-assisted smart agriculture, the country is not just responding to adversity, it is pioneering a model for climate-resilient, tech-enabled farming that other Global South nations can emulate.

In the skies above Bangladesh, a quiet revolution is taking flight. From the hands of the farmer to the hum of rotors slicing through the air, drones are scripting a new chapter in the story of agriculture. A chapter where science, sustainability and sovereignty converge and data are harvested alongside crops, and where the future of farming soars above the fields.

Dr. Makhan Lal Dutta is a development professional with expertise in

climate-smart agriculture, food security, agribusiness, value chain development, and rural livelihoods.
Makhan_Dutta@hk-bd.org