Satellite data providers ConstellR and ScanWorld have announced a new partnership which aims to leverage on combined Earth observation expertise to provide data-driven insights for agriculture and vegetation monitoring
The two satellite data providers are set to combine their respective thermal infrared and hyperspectral imagery expertise to deliver high-value Earth observation data to enable a wide range of sustainable agricultural applications.
Based in Germany, ConstellR is pioneering the use of thermal infrared imagery for high-precision agriculture, crop health monitoring and sustainable resource management. Using surface temperature as the key indicator, this data uses evapotranspiration as a fundamental measure of crop water need, critical for irrigation and yield monitoring. Evapotranspiration is the sum of evaporation from the land surface plus transpiration from plants. This data allows farmers to mitigate potential crop losses long before irreversible damage occurs.
Belgium-based ScanWorld is leveraging hyperspectral imaging to collect data from across the electromagnetic spectrum. This technique allows the detection of very small changes in plant physiology, allowing measurement of proteins and identification of diseases to support worldwide agriculture and forestry management.
The partnership also ensures future interoperability with existing programmes. “This partnership increases our complementarity with large institutional missions such as the Copernicus program in Europe or the Surface Biology and Geology System at NASA in the United States, thus enabling us to deliver an even better service to our customers in agriculture and beyond,” said Max Gulde, CEO of ConstellR.
Guerric de Crombrugghe, ScanWorld general manager added, “We both benefit from a world-class techno-scientific background. This is crucial in agriculture – the harvest depends on it – but in other sectors too. Combined with affordability, this is a real game-changer.”
