Drones can lift flood relief and agriculture

THE low-altitude economy is an emerging ecosystem with the potential to transform logistics, agriculture, surveillance and healthcare, all operating below 1,000 metres above ground level. It is driven by advances in drone technology and advanced air mobility. Imagine drones mapping flooded crops, spraying fields with precision, delivering medicines or enabling electric air taxis skipping traffic, all coordinated by AI. The question is: how can Punjab harness this frontier to tackle its most pressing challenges?

Punjab is reeling under the worst floods since 1988. Almost every monsoon, swollen rivers and breached canals inundate villages and crops, marooning families. Traditional ground assessments worsen the ordeal; by the time officials arrive, damage has mounted.

Drones can change this dramatically. Within hours, they can map submerged fields, breached embankments and damaged canals, guide relief teams, and identify safe drop points for food and medicines. They can show which fields remain cultivable, generate reliable insurance evidence and later monitor repaired embankments and drainage networks.

If systematically deployed in Punjab, drones could shift reactive relief to precision flood management: reducing losses, speeding recovery and building resilience. The Patiala authorities have already deployed drones to map natural water flows, producing inundation maps that guide better drainage and flood-resilient infrastructure.

With shrinking groundwater, rising chemical dependence, erratic weather and labour shortages during peak seasons, costs keep climbing even as farm incomes stagnate. What if the solutions are not buried in the soil, but floating just above our heads? This is where the low-altitude economy is a game-changer. Drones can spray pesticides with accuracy, saving chemicals and protecting farmers' health. Soil and moisture mapping can guide irrigation and fertiliser use, cutting costs and conserving water. They can detect pests and nutrient deficiencies early, and help manage Punjab's burning headache of stubble.

Punjab should launch a Low-Altitude Mission anchored on four pillars: policy (clearances with safety protocols), infrastructure (drone pads and state fleets), industry support (manufacturing incentives and local supply chains) and demand aggregation (state contracts that help start-ups scale).

Punjab Agricultural University could design crop-specific spraying protocols and water-saving advisories. Engineering institutes could innovate AI systems, sensors and cold-chain delivery methods. Labs in select districts could demonstrate drone farming from sowing to harvest. Training programmes could certify youth as drone pilots, repair technicians and data operators, turning brain drain into brain gain. Initiatives like "Drone Didis" in Bathinda, where women farmers are providing drone spraying services and PAU's new DGCA-approved drone training centre, point the way forward.

Globally, China leads drone innovation, while Europe and the US test the dedicated ‘drone corridors’. India has begun with Digital Sky and local manufacturing, and Punjab is well-placed to take the lead.

The vision is practical: saving water, reducing pesticide use, protecting crops, accelerating flood relief and creating livelihoods. Drones can’t stop floods, but they can help turn disaster into recovery and hope.

SS Sekhon is former Professor, GNDU, Amritsar.