Kisan Drone Yojana Explained: Govt Subsidies to Help You Own a Drone

Farming methods are evolving at a rapid pace in the present scenario. Crop monitoring, pesticide spraying and fertilizer distribution are not old-fashioned anymore. They have indeed transformed with drones. The Government of India is coming to terms with this transformation.  Indian farmers are given subsidies to buy drones with the help of “Drone Shakti Yojana” and “SMAM Portal”.

Agricultural drones help make farming easier and save time, labour and money. So, it is important to know what an agricultural drone is, how it works, its price, and how farmers can obtain it with a government subsidy. This can help you take your farming to the next level.

Farmers have various prospects in agriculture with the advent of drones. Drones can now do all that in a jiffy, which earlier took hours. This dream of farmers has come true because of the government's subsidy schemes. It is for both small and big farmers.

Agricultural drone is a special flying device intended for farming. It can spray pesticides and fertilizers, monitor crops, survey the land and even check the health of crops.  Drones have changed farming quite a bit.  With drones, large fields can be irrigated in no time. It averts the water and chemical wastage by spraying the right amount.  Drones help farmers monitor the health of crops and identify where there is a shortage so that that action can be taken in no time.

Money and time are significant in modern farming, for which drones are important. Earlier, irrigation took a lot of time, but now spraying can be done in a jiffy. This helps to increase the yield and improve the crop health, creating a new way for young farmers to earn money. So, drones make farming easier and help farmers earn profits.

In 2025, the Indian government continued the drone subsidy through the “Drone Shakti Yojana” and SMAM portal. This scheme is for farmers, Farmer Producer Organizations, cooperative societies, agricultural universities, and custom hiring centres. SC/ST and small and marginal farmers can get up to 50% of the drone cost (maximum limit ₹5 lakh).

Other farmers can get a maximum of 40%, up to a maximum of ₹4 lakh. If a farmer is associated with an FPO or CHC, they can get up to 75%, i.e. a maximum of ₹7.5 lakh. The exact amount varies depending on the drone price. This shows the government’s pledge to bring drones directly to your farms.

The price of an agricultural drone varies depending on the model and spraying capacity. Normally, 10-litre and 20-litre capacity drones cost between ₹6 lakh and ₹10 lakh. “Many companies are working on making drones suitable for Indian agricultural conditions.

• Garuda Aerospace
• IoTechWorld Avigation
• Marut Drones
• General Aeronautics
• RARE Tech

It is not that difficult to get a drone. The government has simplified the process greatly. Log in to your account: If you are new, register yourself, log in with manufacturer credentials, and submit the eligibility form. Get subsidized Kisan Drone from SMAM Portal: https://agrimachinery.nic.in.

There is a need to upload all the important documents, such as

• Aadhar Card
• Bank Passbook
• Land Ownership Documents
• Caste Certificate SC/ST Category (if applicable)

Documents Verification: The Agriculture Department will check the documents, and eligible applicants will be selected.

Drone Provider Contact: After selection, you can now contact the drone manufacturing company.

After all this, you will receive the subsidy directly into your bank account.

Here are some of the benefits of using drones in agriculture,

Maintaining land, crops, stables and livestock is hands-on work that takes time. Even smaller farmers may spend limitless hours walking their land to spot possible issues before they become big.

Drones provide more in-depth results in agriculture in real time. Farmers can get HD photos, videos, and data within minutes with images collected by a farming drone. With an aerial view, farmers can see the bigger picture, spot crop or potential safety problems and act quickly.

Drones may also help troubleshoot issues. Traditionally, monitoring includes searching for issues you may not notice until too late. Instead, farmers can use an agricultural drone to monitor irrigation systems for possible leaks or damage before it becomes a substantial issue, harming crops.

Besides time savings, superior drone images offer more insights than pixelated satellite images. Farmers can compile data from drones and get a clear picture of crop growth and soil moisture, allowing them to make more informed decisions.

Safety is often a primary concern for agriculture, and Agri-drones can help. For instance, drones can map the area if agricultural land is dangerous or difficult to travel on. Moreover, after a storm, farmers can use drones to assess damage, protect worker safety and speed up the claim process. The same holds for livestock monitoring. For instance, if some livestock is sick or injured, drones can help track their movement and spot lethargic animals needing help.

Agricultural drones can apply pesticides and fertilizers on the spot instead of spraying an entire field, leading to a negative environmental impact.This can reduce chemical drift, helping nearby crops and the soil. Using drones for spot jobs instead of large full-field sprayers can also help decrease farmers' air pollution and input costs.

Agricultural drones are a revolutionary change in agriculture. This technology can be brought to farms economically by availing of the government's subsidy scheme. Also, it will help farmers farm more precisely and increase profits. So, you can apply on the SMAM Portal today and get agricultural drones. These will reduce the burden and improve farming.  They are a leap towards a better farming future!

There is no doubt that Indian farmers will benefit greatly from the use of agricultural drones.  Apart from that, this government scheme will help farmers to get drones at a subsidized rate. But to use drones fully, one should learn to operate them competently. This can be learned from a drone training program. You can enroll in Flapone Aviation, one of India's most popular institutes, to learn how to easily operate drones.