As many as 1,261 units of the Mahindra Zor Grand DV have been deployed across the country as drone carriers for precision fertiliser/urea spraying on farmland. The solution has helped transform the way farmers manage crop health (analytics can indicate how much area the drone can cover), increasing efficiency (wastage of pesticides is reduced), reducing costs (lesser use of materials), and promoting sustainability (use of an EV and battery-charged drones), company sources said on Wednesday.
The Mahindra Zor Grand DV is an electric three-wheeler cargo vehicle meticulously designed to meet the evolving needs of cargo transportation in the modern world. The vehicle offers a real-world range of 90 km per charge.
The initiative, sources informed, is part of Mahindra Last Mile Mobility's collaboration with IFFCO (Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited) and farmers, and is being implemented under the Central Government’s NAMO Drone Didi project. The specially modified design of the vehicle can accommodate precision equipment like drones, allied accessories such as gensets, extra batteries for drones, water cans, diesel cans, fertiliser spray bottles, and other tools.
NAMO Drone Didi is a central sector scheme aiming to empower women-led Self-Help Groups (SHGs) by equipping them with drone technology to provide agricultural services. The scheme aims to provide drones to 15,000 selected women SHGs during the period from 2024–25 to 2025–26 for providing rental services to farmers for agricultural purposes (application of liquid fertilisers and pesticides at present). This initiative is expected to generate an additional income of at least ₹1 lakh per year for each SHG, contributing to economic empowerment and sustainable livelihood generation.