Indonesia’s state-owned rice producer Sang Hyang Seri (SHS) has begun deployment of agricultural drones from XAG. The deployment helps SHS address increasing labour shortages and rising production costs, and aids Indonesia in its push to achieve rice self-sufficiency.

The adoption of agricultural drones by SHS are in line with national action plans set by Indonesia’s government and reflect recent reports from the Indonesian Agency for Agricultural Research and Development, which have highlighted the importance of precision agriculture and automation for increasing yields and improving resource efficiency.

SHS manages around 5,000 hectares of rice paddies. The company plays a key role in the nation’s rice supply. According to Dasep Setiawan, farm manager at SHS Sukamandi, the shift from labour-intensive practices to digital and precise farming methods represents a significant turning point for the farm, even though SHS is still at the early stages of this transformation.

Since early 2025, with support from PT Blessed Bentara Agri Indonesia, XAG’s local distributor, SHS began trials of the P100 Pro drones across 15 hectares of rice paddies. The trials employed high-capacity autonomous spraying and spreading technology to boost daily operations and streamline field management.

Transport logistics in Indonesia can be a major hurdle, especially for large-scale farms that operate across remote or scattered fields. The foldable design of the XAG P100 Pro helps reduce storage space requirements, making transport between rice paddies easy and safe even by motorcycle or minivan.

Studies from the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture show that drone-based spraying can reduce chemical use by up to 30 percent while increasing the uniformity of application and minimising operator exposure to agrochemicals. SHS fields managed with the P100 Pro are expected to show improved pest management and crop health, particularly during the busiest planting and harvesting periods.

The drone’s RevoCast system extends its functionality to fertiliser and seed spreading. With an 80-litre tank and an ability to spread up to 150 kilograms per minute, the system allows for efficient and even application.

SHS drone pilot Adam Dalah Agung, who oversees daily drone operations, has seen these benefits firsthand. “Drones have greatly improved efficiency. With the P100 Pro, you can spray or spread fertiliser on large areas alone. In the past, the same work needed at least ten people.” He added, “Every parameter can be set on the XAG One app. The operation is simple, monitoring is clear, and we can complete a day’s work in just a few hours. It really saves a lot of time and reduces workload.”