SANGAREDDY: Gone are the days when drones were a “boys’ club” in Sangareddy. Under District Collector Valluru Kranthi’s push, many women are turning farm tech into a feminist frontier. These SHG members, once dependent on daily wages, now pilot drones to spray fields faster and cheaper, cutting labor costs by 80% and proving rural women can master cutting-edge tools. Locals say these sky warriors aren’t just aiding farmers — they’re sowing seeds of a new agrarian economy where women hold the controls.
This initiative began with a group of women from various SHGs stepping up to learn drone technology. What started as a bold choice is now a movement. Trained meticulously over nine days in Jogipet, 53 women were taught everything from drone controls and flying regulations to altitude management and the technicalities of fertiliser and pesticide spraying.
With rising labour costs and a shortage of field hands, farmers have increasingly turned to drone technology for precision agriculture. Enter these trained women, who can now cover up to 50 acres in just five hours, three hours in the morning and two in the evening.
Speaking to TNIE, Bhavani, from Isojipet village in Pulkal mandal, beams with newfound confidence: “We used to depend on others for work. Now, with this skill, I can even think of buying a drone myself. We own three acres and lease another seven. If the government helps SHGs own drones, the cost per acre will drop significantly — from `3,000 to just `500. That’s a big relief for small farmers like us.”
What used to be a male-dominated space is now seeing women make their mark — and fly past old stereotypes. “Earlier, only young men flew drones. Today, we’re taking over the skies — thanks to the support of collector Kranthi. We’re ready to compete, and we’re not looking back,” says Swapna, another trainee.
Only the beginning: Collector
Stating that the initiative was only the start, Collector Kranthi, the driving force behind the initiative, tells TNIE: “We trained these women to empower them with a future-ready skill. Under the Union government’s ‘Namo Drone Didi’ scheme, they will receive drones and drone cameras with up to an 80% subsidy. For a drone worth `10 lakh, SHGs can get `8 lakh covered. The rest can be availed through loans or personal contribution.”
These women aren’t just flying drones — they’re flying past limits, rewriting roles and becoming true changemakers in their fields.