Course

Syllabus

Practical

Introduction to digital agriculture: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), sensor technologies, drones, and agricultural robotics; familiarization with smart agriculture equipment and safety protocols; identification and demonstration of various agricultural sensors (soil moisture, AWS); installation and calibration of sensors for field data collection; installation and operation of IoT-enabled smart irrigation systems; introduction to AI applications in agriculture including crop health assessment, disease detection, yield prediction, weed identification, and decision support systems; demonstration of AI-enabled mobile applications and image-based crop diagnostics; demonstration of variable-rate technology (VRT) concepts; introduction to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)/drones and DGCA safety regulations; identification of drone components and flight planning; pre-flight inspection, calibration, and mission planning; demonstration of drone operation for crop monitoring, aerial imaging, and field mapping; acquisition and interpretation of RGB and multispectral imagery for crop health assessment; demonstration of agricultural spraying drones and safety measures; introduction to agricultural robotics and autonomous farm machinery; demonstration of robotic systems for seeding, weeding, harvesting, and greenhouse operations; use of AI and robotic systems for precision weed management; introduction to machine vision systems for crop monitoring; integration of AI, IoT, sensors, drones, and robotics for precision farming applications.

Objectives

1. To impart practical knowledge and skills in the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), sensor technologies, drones, and robotics for precision and smart agriculture.

2. To develop competency in the use of digital agriculture tools for efficient crop production, resource management, crop monitoring, decision support, and sustainable farming practices.

Course outcomes

Any student who has undergone the course shall be able to:

Suggested Readings

1. Zhang, Q. (Ed.). Precision Agriculture Technology for Crop Farming. CRC Press, Boca Raton, USA. https://doi.org/10.1201/b19336

2. Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India. Guidelines for Use of Agricultural Drones and Precision Farming Technologies. https://farmech.dac.gov.in/Content/New_Folder/SOPforDrone.pdf

3. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Digital Technologies in Agriculture and Rural Areas. FAO, Rome. https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/ca4887en