Crop Research
Are you an agronomist, soil scientist, plant breeder or extension specialist? Do you need quality data to better understand the effect of treatments, fertilisers, soil types or pests on your trials? We may be able to help. As science and engineering professionals we love to collaborate with research teams. Developing custom solutions is our specialty.
Some of the services we currently offer include:
- Multi-spectral data collection with discrete-band, scientific grade sensors.
- Multi-spectral data extracted per plot, for insights into plant vigor and response. NDVI, NDRE, OSAVI...
- High resolution colour imagery (orthomosaic) of whole trials, geo-rectified.
- Thermal data using radiometric sensors, to better understand variation in plant perspiration / heat tolerance
- Plant elevation data per plot.
- Quantify elevation change over time, growth rates.
- Canopy cover (area) per plot.
- Plant volumes and biomass calculation.
- Automated plant counts.
- Mapped data tied to ground survey points for precise alignment and comparison over time.
We operate both multi-rotor and fixed-wing aircraft. So whether you have small plot trials needing high resolution or large broad-acre fields, we can collect the data you need.
Case Study - Nelder Fan Experiment, University of Queensland
Leucaena grass-pastures are vital for improving cattle production in Subtropical and Tropical Queensland. While its value is unquestioned, plant configuration recommendations (row density and row spacing) are inconsistent with significant effect of the outcome of competition between leucaena and grass components.
To better understand above and below ground competition between trees and grasses, and to provide practical recommendations, a Nelder fan experiment is being carried out on the University of Queensland research farm at Gatton, funded by an MLA Donor Company Grant.
Forage productivity, water uptake and tree/grass competition are being studied by PhD student Nahuel Pachas under the supervision of A/Prof Max Shelton and Dr. Chris Lambrides. With assistance from Dr Scott Chapman of CSIRO, aerial photography and NDVI images captured by AirBorn Insight are being used to estimate canopy size, green leaf area and transpiration.
