Hyperceptions used a remote scanning tool that precisely identified effective areas of vegetation on a farm in one flyover.
The technology used hyperspectral imaging to detect the unique signature of objects or land areas based on a visible, near-infra-red and short-wave reflection scanned by the sensor from a plane.
Massey University bought a Fenix Hyperspectral Imaging System with Ravensdown and the Ministry for Primary Industries as part of the Pioneering to Precision Primary Growth Partnership.
It was the only Fenix in the southern hemisphere.
Flown in a fixed-wing aircraft, the Fenix recorded the reflectance across 620 wave bands including visible, near, short wave and infra-red.
As a result of the work done in the PGP programme, the data could be translated into maps of nutrient content and concentration.
It could also be used to identify different pasture species and to classify different species of trees, potentially including calculation of areas of manuka.
The innovative technology was tested at Patitapu Station as part of Ravensdown’s PGP programme. Patitapu was a 2550-hectare sheep and beef farm in north Wairarapa run by Doug and Jo McKenzie.
Large areas of the windswept farm were covered in regenerating native bush and scrub blocks with 1760 hectares of effective land.
The land was of mixed terrain with 136 hectares flat or under cultivation with the balance mainly medium to steeper hill country.
The McKenzies were confronted with huge variability in physical resources including altitude, aspect, soil type, slope and rainfall.
“The technology will allow us to extensively map the land and break down the farm into productive blocks for variable applications.
“It’s incredible to be able to get our farm information right down to a one square metre area,” Doug McKenzie said.
As part of the PGP project, Hyperceptions’ functionality would be made available to third parties, with priority given to Ravensdown, MPI and other associated third parties.
Ravensdown’s use of the sensor in its Pioneering to Precision PGP programme had allowed McKenzie, in the research phase, to also start using the information to identify his farm’s soil fertility from the sky – a technology called AirScan.
Ravensdown innovation and strategy general manager Mike Manning said he was looking forward to introducing the technology of Hyperceptions and AirScan to the agri sector.
“Working with Massey University to develop Hyperceptions and AirScan is part of our long-term goal to transform hill country farming.
“We are constantly looking at ways in which we can improve our practices.
“This technology will help make New Zealand agriculture more efficient and sustainable by knowing exactly where the effective areas on a farm are as well, in the future, the soil nutrient profile and targeting the fertiliser application to suit.”
Hyperceptions aimed to be the recognised leader of hyperspectral sensing capability, serving New Zealand’s primary industries, government and land management agencies, he said.
Massey University precision agriculture expert Professor Ian Yule said Hyperceptions’ remote sensor would enable NZ to capture unprecedented levels of data on the nutrient content of large sections of land that might have been previously inaccessible.
“This is a game changer.
“It’s like turning the whole of NZ into a living lab where you can observe exactly what is going on and describe it in greater detail than ever before.”
The information gathered by Hyperceptions and AirScan would be fed into HawkEyeR, a new software system being designed to provide deep insights and decision support tools for farmers in the area of nutrient management and farm productivity.
