A payload drone transporting freshly harvested green leaf from tea fields to weighment centres and factory, at Lockhart Estate in Devikulam in Idukki.
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement
In a significant technological step forward for the plantation sector, and in a first, a tea company has begun using drone-based transport to move freshly harvested green leaves from tea fields to weighment centres and processing factories in Kerala’s Idukki.According to company officials, trials for the drone transportation system were successfully conducted at the Lockhart Estate, operated by Harrisons Malayalam Limited (HML) near Devikulam in Munnar. Established during the British era, Lockhart is one of the region’s oldest tea plantations.HML vice-president Anil George confirmed the successful trial of the payload drones. “For the trial phase, we used bags weighing 12 kilograms, which was a big success. Following these positive results, we plan to deploy drones with a carrying capacity of 40 to 50 kilograms. The drones can carry the load five to 10 kilometres,” Mr. George said.Faster transferThis initiative, undertaken in collaboration with technology partner Tropoworks, aims to streamline field logistics, boost productivity, minimise manual handling, and ensure faster transfer of green leaves to the factory.
