PDRL launches BhuMeet for connecting drone service providers with farmers

PDRL, a leader in drone technology innovation, has launched BhuMeet, a cutting-edge Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform designed to connect farmers with drone service providers across India. This platform aims to revolutionize how essential drone services, such as agricultural spraying and surveying, are accessed and managed, ensuring efficient and localized service delivery.

BhuMeet allows users to easily find and hire drone service providers based on their service records and proximity. By bridging the gap between service providers and farmers, the platform is set to enhance operational efficiency and empower the agricultural community to leverage the full potential of drone technology, a company statement said.

Speaking on the launch, Mr Anil Chandaliya, Founder and CEO, PDRL said, "As India continues to embrace advanced technologies to revolutionize its agriculture sector, we at PDRL are proud to introduce BhuMeet, a platform that will fundamentally change how farmers access essential drone services. By bridging the gap between farmers and reliable service providers, BhuMeet not only enhances operational efficiency but also empowers the agricultural community to harness the full potential of drone technology. We believe this innovation will set new standards in the industry and play a vital role in modernizing agriculture across the nation."

PDRL Founder and CTO Vishal Dharankar added that BhuMeet is currently being piloted in select regions of South India and Gujarat, with plans to expand nationwide by the end of 2024. The platform, available in six languages, already has over 100 service providers lined up to be onboarded.

India, with its vast agricultural landscape spanning over 1.78 million square kilometers, is poised to benefit immensely from drone technology. According to the National Statistical Office's Situation Assessment of Agricultural Households (SAAH) report, between 90 million and 150 million farmers are actively engaged in agriculture. As the world's second-largest producer of food grains, fruits, and vegetables, and the second-largest exporter of sugar, India stands to gain significantly from the integration of drones into various agricultural practices, including crop monitoring, precision agriculture, field mapping, and more.

The recent G20 Agriculture Deputies Meeting of the Agriculture Working Group (AWG) has further underscored the importance of food security, climate-smart agriculture, an inclusive value chain, and the digitization of agricultural transformation—areas where drone technology can make a substantial impact. BhuMeet’s launch aligns with these priorities, offering a timely and innovative solution for the Indian agricultural sector.