Drones may be used for anti-locust spraying

In a possible first time, the government has allowed the use of drones to combat the threat of desert locust invasion that threatens to destroy crops across the Afro-Asian region with the severely affected border states of India.

The aviation ministry has granted a "conditional exemption to the government entity for the use of the remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS) for anti-locust operations," including for spraying locust pesticides. On May 20, the agriculture ministry requested permission to use RPAS, or drones, for anti-loco operations, which aviation secretary PS Kharola gave the following day "in view of the urgency of the matter."

From Times of India