New Delhi, November 17, 2023: Marut Drones is offering Seedcopter 2.0- India’s first reforestation drone, to corporate entities, to enable them to engage in CSR activities and reforestation efforts that would align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It will also help them participate in managing their carbon footprint while making a lasting and transformative impact on the environment.
In response to the environmental crisis, Marut Drones has been harnessing the power of Seedcopter 2.0 since 2021, resulting in mitigation of the consequences of deforestation. It is utilizing Seedcopter for its ongoing mission ‘Hara Bahara’ campaign to plant one billion trees by 2030. It helped in planting more than one crore trees across 9 states including Telangana, Arunachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, and Assam in 2022. Marut aims to restore 900 forests through the 'Hara-Bahara' campaign which is already underway.
Renowned actor and environmental advocate Rana Daggubati, joined forces with Marut Drones in 2021 to increase forest cover in India through rapid afforestation, using Seedcopter. On the launch of Seedcopter 2.0, he said, “At the heart of sustainable change lies community collaboration and empowerment. Marut Drones has developed an innovative and scalable solution for reforestation and revegetation that is faster and cheaper than traditional manual planting practices. By actively involving rural women to procure mass seedlings, Marut Drones is sowing the seeds of a greener future by making it a community exercise.”
Speaking on the launch, Prem Kumar Vislawath, CEO, Marut Drones, expressed his enthusiasm for making Seedcopter 2.0 available for corporate use with a CSR perspective, stating, “By making Seedcopter 2.0 available as a service for corporate entities, we aim to extend the reach of drone technology, inviting more stakeholders to contribute to India’s green coverage. As stewards of this planet, we have a duty to revive the forests we've lost.”
So far, Marut has empowered 15000 women across 200 communities. Its mission is to empower women and communities in 1400 districts to act and contribute towards reforestation. The company has been engaging local communities in preparing the seed balls, contributing not only to ecological well-being but also uplifting the socio-economic conditions of the communities involved.
These drones are designed to disperse seed balls in challenging terrains, including valleys and foothills, providing access to even the most remote areas. They also reduce the time and labour required for afforestation. Notable environmentalists like Padmashree Jadav Payeng from Assam, popularly known as the Forest Man of India, and Padmashree Daripalli Ramaiah from Telangana are key ambassadors for the ‘Hara Bahara’ campaign.
Seedcopter does aerial surveys and mapping of target areas, providing insights into the topography, soil conditions, and vegetation, enabling informed decisions during the seeding process. It releases them with precision, ensuring an even distribution across the target terrain, resulting in a higher germination rate and increased chances of tree growth. Post-planting monitoring with data hubs established to track the progress of the planted seeds is a crucial aspect of Marut Drones' efforts. This data-driven approach helps assess the success of afforestation efforts and fine-tune strategies for future projects.
