Viral Jombang Farmer Rides Drone Home, Minister Amran Floats Idea for Crop Transport
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia — An unusual act by a farmer in Jombang, East Java, has caught the attention of netizens. The middle-aged man went viral after sharing the moment he rode a large drone to return home from his banana plantation.
In a video uploaded via the TikTok account @mbahkaruhon.tiktok.com1, the elderly man is seen clinging to a drone that lifts his body into the air.
The drone then flies him across the plantation towards his house. According to the caption, the aerial journey covered a distance of about 1.5 kilometres.
Minister of Agriculture Amran Sulaiman has responded to the incident. He opened up the possibility of using drones to transport agricultural produce, especially from land that does not yet have farm roads. He conveyed the idea amid the push for agricultural modernisation that the government is currently accelerating.
Amran said the Ministry of Agriculture is currently accelerating the intensification system through a modern farming approach. According to him, agricultural transformation is aimed not only at increasing production, but also at improving farmers’ welfare.
He touched on the use of drones in the agricultural sector. Amran said the utilisation of drones in the future will not stop at supporting the planting process. He wants the technology to also be used to transport unhusked rice, especially in agricultural areas where road access remains limited.
“But going forward, note this down. Later, for areas without farm roads, transport — since it can carry 100 kilograms — the unhusked rice can be transported by drone. Right? Beautiful, isn’t it? After being used for planting, the drone will then also be used at the next stage,” Amran said at a press conference at his office in Jakarta on Thursday (9/7/2026).
According to him, using drones to transport unhusked rice could be a solution for farmers in areas that do not yet have farm roads. With an envisaged carrying capacity of up to 100 kilograms, drones are expected to help distribute the harvest from the fields to collection points.
Amran added that the development of such technology aligns with research he has conducted while serving as minister. He said he remains active in research and has produced two patents in the past two years.
“While serving as minister, I also conduct research. In my two years as minister, I have already obtained two patents,” he said.
“I am a minister who also conducts research together with the Deputy Minister of Agriculture. Beautiful, isn’t it? So later, lifting unhusked rice from areas without farm roads can be done by drone. Planting can also be done by drone,” he continued.
According to Amran, the idea forms part of the modern agricultural transformation the government wants to keep accelerating. He hopes the use of technology in the field will not only make the cultivation process more efficient, but also help farmers bring in their harvest from the land.
“So now, what we are pursuing is a welfare-centred approach. A massive transformation towards modern agriculture, with attention to farmers’ welfare,” Amran concluded.