HYDERABAD: In a bid to further intensify green cover in the State, the Seedcopter initiative by Marut Drones in collaboration with the Forest Department and ITES of Telangana, began on Friday. It was inaugurated by actor Rana Daggubati and Chief Conservator of Forests, IFS MJ Akbar, at KBR National Park. A drone dropped seed balls of sitaphal, gooseberry, tamarind and bamboo.
Seedcopter is a technology wherein drones are used for dispersing seed balls over thin, barren and empty forest lands to turn them into forests. The process begins with a field survey and mapping of the terrain area to understand the ecosystem and demarcate the areas needing urgent attention. This is used to determine the number and species of trees that can be planted in the barren land based on the soil, climate, and other parameters. The seed balls are prepared by local women and welfare communities.
“After dropping these seeds, we will monitor their success using satellite imagery and using drone imagery every six-12 months,” informed Prem Kumar Vislawath, Founder and CEO of Marut Drones.Till date they have tried this technology in areas like Udaipur and closer home at Sircilla and Mahbubnagar.