"Indian farm workkers are being replaced by drones. They fear a much darker future,"

...

There are plenty of bold predictions that drones will be the future of farming. They are far quicker at chemical spraying, adaptable to a wide range of farm duties, and can aid with water conservation. But above all, they are praised for cost-efficiency...

Just 100 yards from the field where Sharma was spraying, Satya Pal Singh, 62, a major landlord with 35 acres of land, carefully peers at a remote control while a huge agricultural drone hovers over his sugarcane field, spraying insecticides. Singh is one of the farmers who used to hire four or five laborers like Sharma to spray for about a week. But now he prefers to pay a drone operator, which he says costs twice as much but gets the job done in one day...

As this transition tests its way through Indian farms, the potential consequences for agricultural laborers are profound...

An assessment from India’s National Sample Survey Office found that close to 40 percent of Indian farm owners aren’t interested in pursuing their profession in the long run. Farm laborers are in a more precarious position—especially women, who are paid an average of 25 percent less than their male counterparts...

Drone service providers say they intend to train laborers to pilot drones, especially those who have lost their jobs as a result of the transition. But the solution isn’t as straightforward as it sounds. Farm laborers are at the lowest tiers of the literacy ladder, and operating a drone requires proper training and licensing approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the government body tasked with regulating civil aviation in India. But even the DGCA asks for an application fee of around $12, in addition to mandatory training and exams from DGCA-approved drone schools. The training can last up to three months and cost anywhere from $360 to $1,200...