International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development

author(s)
Khem Sagar, Dr. Sanjay Kumar Joshi, Dr. AK Gauraha and Hulas Pathak

abstract
This study investigates the socio-economic determinants influencing the adoption of drone technology in paddy farming and evaluates its economic and resource-use efficiency compared to traditional cultivation practices. A total of 128 farmers from the Chhattisgarh Plains were surveyed using a structured questionnaire, and data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, cost comparison, Short-Run Marginal Return (SRMR) and the Cobb-Douglas production function. The socio-economic profile revealed that older farmers with moderate education levels and predominantly rented landholdings were less likely to adopt drones due to financial constraints and limited technical knowledge. Despite this, awareness about drone technology was relatively high. Economic analysis showed that drone-assisted farming significantly reduced labour requirements and pesticide consumption, resulting in lower cultivation costs of ?15,500 per hectare, compared to ?17,500 under traditional methods. Drone users also achieved higher yields (55 q/ha) than traditional farmers (50 q/ha), leading to improved net returns and an SRMR of 5.5, indicating strong short-term economic viability. Resource-use efficiency analysis demonstrated a higher model fit (R² = 0.89) for drone users, confirming more effective input utilization compared to traditional methods (R² = 0.84). Farmer perception analysis further revealed strong agreement that drones enhance spray uniformity, save time, reduce drudgery and improve crop health, although high operational cost and lack of training remained major concerns. Overall, the study concludes that drone technology offers significant economic and operational benefits for paddy cultivation, but broader adoption will require increased training access, cost-sharing mechanisms and awareness programs to ensure equitable and sustainable integration into farming systems.