Farmers’ new eye in the sky
Using this new technology is expected to generate more than €80 million a year in additional export earnings by 2030, mainly by improving how fertiliser is applied to hill country.
Aerial imaging is expected to enable New Zealand capture unprecedented levels of data about the nutrient content of large sections of upland.
The breakthrough technology uses hyper spectral imaging, to detect the unique signature of objects or land areas, based on a near-infra-red reflection scanned by the sensor installed in a plane.
Originally developed to help the military find camouflaged tanks, for example, it can identify different types of soils — and is even being used in telescopes to figure out the mineralogy of Mars.
In New Zealand, it is also likely to be used to help determine where there is nitrogen run-off, an increasing environmental problem in dairying areas.
The new technology can be used to map landscapes, and provide data about what type and quantity of fertiliser is needed, to assess pasture quality to determine stock carrying capacity, and to locate the best quality pasture.
Benefits are also likely in the forestry and horticulture sectors, to determine the exact number of trees in a forest, for example, and to find diseased trees, much cheaper than with helicopter inspections.
In New Zealand, a company called Aerial Surveys will capture the aerial data, which will then be analysed in the country’s Massey University.
Massey Vice-Chancellor Steve Maharey has said the method enables farmers to manage nutrients, soils and water for each blade of grass.
The $500,000 Fenix hyper spectral imaging system can “sense” up to 1,000 hectares an hour, and was chosen and purchased after initial trials under New Zealand conditions produced outstanding results.
Its numerous non-agricultural applications across various sectors range from detecting unexploded weapons to spotting of illgal plants such as marijuana, coca, or poppy.
