Nileworks Inc. in collaboration with JA Miyagi Tome and Trading house Sumitomo Corp. has been developing and testing Nile-T18, a drone set up to make farming in Japan easier and faster. The drone can apply pesticides and fertilizers to a rice field quicker than the usual time it requires for farmers to do the job. It is also a lot cheaper and smaller than a radio-controlled mini-helicopter with spray equipment. Nileworks’ goal is to ease the physical burden of the aging farmers and improve the productivity of farming in rural areas. Nileworks Inc. also believe that with this technology and advancement, young people would be engaged in farming.

Tome, Miyagi Prefecture, the rice supplier of Tokyo since the 17th century, has an average 67-68 years old farmers which makes the work difficult for them to execute. Developers of the high-tech drone offers relief to these farmers and will provide answer to the city’s labor shortage of young people. Nileworks’ target is to sell 100 units annually starting May 2019 and 4,000 units in the next five years.