An Israeli start-up, which claims to have developed an aerial platform capable of identifying an insect on a leaf, has struck a partnership with leading agribusiness Landmark and chemical input company Adama Agricultural Solutions.
Taranis CEO and co-founder Ofir Schlam said the collaboration signalled the expansion of Taranis' global operations and would add value to Landmark and Adama Australia's existing customer bases.
"By working with local partners in Australia, we will be able to further develop our database of large commodity crops, identifying more varieties of plant disease, weeds, insects, and more," he said.
"With this collaboration, we look forward to providing farmers with better management practices and preventative insights, helping them to make the right decisions at the right time to achieve higher yields."
In the announcement Taranis said the platform utilised deep-learning technology combined with high-speed unmanned aerial vehicles and manned aircrafts to enable farmers identify issues on a granular level, claiming the ability to identify an actual type of insect on a singular leaf.
"These unprecedented insights help farmers to better manage crops around seed emergence, weeds, insect damage, nutrition deficiency, fertiliser top and side dressing, yield estimation, harvest priority and automated scouting," it said.
Taranis said it currently services 200 clients globally.
Adama Australia's manager for agtech and innovation, Andrew Newall said the company was excited to partner with Taranis.
"We believe that the company's technology represents the future of farming and combined with Adama's crop protection portfolio the reach and applications of our capabilities are endless," he said.
"Our goal is to continue to provide valuable services and products to farmers, ultimately optimising yields and increasing growth exponentially."
Landmark, national digital strategy manager, Sam Bald said Landmark was focused on the sustainability and profitability of its growers.
"Australian farmers are experiencing the devastating effects of drought right now and as a business, we're focused on helping our clients find solutions to help them cope," he said.
"Together with Taranis we'll be able to deliver enhanced solutions and greater value to help Australian growers increase their food production and stand out in an increasingly competitive global market."
Taranis said it plans to target high volume commodity crops, such as corn, cotton, and sugarcane, which account for 70 per cent of global crop volumes.
According to the announcement, the company recently announced the closing of a $20 million funding round to expand its global footprint, and currently services large farmers, empowering them to address issues in real-time and increasing yields by 7.5 per cent.