Many Agtech startups use remote sensing technology for a variety of farming applications. The use of drones and airplanes is becoming more common to provide field-level analysis. As is using globally available satellite data for large-scale analysis. Satellite data can also be combined with field information to create a complete picture of what's happening on the ground.

Overhead view of a field, an orange tractor pulls a plow

Agtech companies are also busy developing advanced artificial intelligence (AI) systems to support the collection and interpretation of large amounts of data. All of this work can allow growers to make sense of what is happening with their farms and crops.

This article offers an overview of remote sensing technology in agriculture, and some of the companies at the head of these advancements.

What is Remote Sensing in Agriculture?

"The collection of information about items or locations without having direct interaction is referred to as Remote Sensing" - Trends in Remote Sensing..

Remote sensing in agriculture collects information about the Earth's surface from above. Instruments are designed to sense and record reflected or emitted energy from the ground. It then feeds this data to a computer or a group of human analysts to process, analyze, and apply that information.

The most frequent use of remote sensing technologies in orchards include satellites, drones, multi-type sensors, and vigor evaluation.

Remote sensing uses photography. This is different from most other smart sensors in agriculture that use mechanical data collection devices with some wireless connection. You can read more about these other types of remote sensors in agriculture.

How is Remote Sensing Applied in Agriculture?

A pair of hands hold out a pile of dark soil, leaves appear to be growing out of the pile

In recent years there have been a lot of advancements in remote sensing. To process large amounts of information remote sensing collects, AI systems are also developed to make complex data useful to growers.

New applications are being tested in orchards and fields from seed to harvest. Growers are able to gain insights into the growth and productivity of their cash crops from year to year.

Different crops may have different needs in terms of remote sensing. This includes specific coverage areas and the specific equipment needed.

Benefits of Using Remote Sensing Technology in Agriculture

Environmental Monitoring

Remote sensing has long been used to collect and analyze weather data to make predictions and track long-term changes. Data collected from remote sensors can monitor the environmental health of small and large regions around the world

At the farm-level, remote sensing is focused on what's being grown today. Several companies are also using this tech to protect farms from extreme weather.

Monitoring Snowpack and Water Levels

Remote monitoring is one of the best tools for monitoring drought, snowpack, flooding, and water storage capacities without putting boots on the ground. This provides valuable data for water managers and decision makers.

Yield Prediction

Aerial photos help create maps that provide a detailed account of crop production and the potential revenue of a field or orchard. International agriculture companies use this to keep an eye on foreign commodity crops. Orchard managers can also use this data to help make decisions about what is profitable, and what is not worth their time when it comes to harvest time.

Vigor Assessment

In many cases, sensors can detect problems such as pests or diseases in the orchard before they are visible to a trained worker. Germination rates, propagation, grafting success, and even chlorophyll can be measured from afar. NASA developed the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to measure leaf density from space. This tech is trickling down into common use, which means it's getting cheaper and more effective every year.

NASA says, "To determine the density of green on a patch of land, researchers must observe the distinct colors (wavelengths) of visible and near-infrared sunlight reflected by the plants."

What is the Future of Remote Sensing in Agriculture?

A wide shot of a corn field, a tree stands in the middle under a blue sky filled with bright clouds

The future of remote sensing is changing quickly. Technological advancements in machine learning, AI, digital image processing, and satellite detail are defining the field. Plus, smartphone integrations are likely to become more and more beneficial to the farm and orchard manager.

The cost of technological innovation drops as solutions improve. This means in the future, small and medium sized growers will have access to these affordable remote sensing tools.

Applications of Remote Sensing in Agriculture

The applications of remote sensing technology in agriculture are changing daily. Here is a short list of some of the main applications of remote sensing in agriculture. Keep in mind that these are just some of the things that can be done with these hi-tech cameras.

Top AgTech Companies Using Satellites for Remote Sensing

Promising Tech Companies that use Drone or Airplane Based Data

What does this mean to me?

Agriculture has become the proving ground for the collaboration of many tech sectors, and the playground in some cases. It is exciting to be at the front of all these innovative technologies operating in the fields and skies above farms and orchards.

For small and medium sized businesses, critical satellite and weather data captured through remote sensing have been used in four key areas.

Future technologies will likely be built on these four areas. As well, they will integrate more of the data on the environment of critical growing regions around the world.

References:

  1. Trends in Remote Sensing Technologies in Olive Cultivation, Smart Agricultural Technology, Volume 3, 2023, 100103, ISSN 2772-3755, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atech.2022.100103. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772375522000685
  2. https://techcrunch.com/2020/01/22/descartes-labs-launches-its-new-platform-for-analyzing-geospatial-data/
  3. https://medium.com/remote-sensing-in-agriculture/remote-sensing-market-map-20-remote-sensing-startups-and-the-varied-data-that-fuels-them-36d8ee97f66f
  4. https://www.tractorjunction.com/blog/types-of-smart-sensors-in-agriculture-for-farming-in-india/
  5. https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/MeasuringVegetation/measuring_vegetation_2.php

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