Australian agtech innovator Agronomeye has entered into a groundbreaking partnership with Virtual TAS that will give every farmer in Tasmania access to a sophisticated digital twin of their property.
This agreement represents a major step change in the way farmers manage their land and marks the start of a new era of actionable insights and data integrity in agriculture.
Virtual TAS is a joint venture between 42-24 and Enzen Australia, a global knowledge enterprise specialising in energy and water, to create a digital twin of Tasmania using high resolution laser (LiDAR) scanning.
The Virtual TAS platform will support and improve the state's energy infrastructure development and maintenance; natural disaster resilience and climate change adaptation; forestry practices; and more. Under a 10-year agreement, Agronomeye will have exclusive access to Virtual TAS's LiDAR data to build digital twins of individual farms.
"This is a genuine game changing moment. We're no longer talking about the potential for digital twins to transform the industry - it's happened; it's here; and Tasmania is right at the centre of it," Agronomeye CEO and co-founder Stu Adam said.
Agronomeye has been building digital twins for the agri sector for a number of years, but the sheer scale of this partnership means the tipping point for adoption has now been reached.
"The LiDAR scan which forms the basis of the digital twin can be a complex and time-consuming process. By partnering with Virtual TAS, who recognise this data is valuable for many sectors, we're able to remove a key barrier to adoption," Mr Adam said.
Agronomeye was set up in 2015 by Mr Adam and Tim Howell.
The company's initial focus was on the use of drones but a meeting with farmers at a pub at Trangie, NSW, in 2016 changed the direction.
"A group of growers and agronomists came to the Trangie pub and we put the technology on the table," Mr Adam said.
"We said this is the technology, this is where it's going, we understand there are some problems when it comes to getting information around the cotton crops (in the area), how can we learn from what your requirements are to build the technology to be useful for you?"
Agronomeye evolved to focus on the capture of high resolution data and how farmers can best use it to fundamentally improve their landscapes.
The company went on to develop a platform called AgTwin. It uses Virtual TAS's engineering grade LiDAR data as the foundation for farm scale modelling, topped with a number of analytical layers such as water flow modelling and tree canopy information, as well as data from additional sources, ranging from satellites to weather stations and soil sensors.
The result is a detailed and dynamic view of the farm.
The LiDAR scan is refreshed annually, enabling farmers to measure the impacts of their on-farm decisions.
"AgTwin enables comprehensive modelling of agricultural management, delivering insights on infrastructure, water, biodiversity, and carbon to support land sustainability," Mr Adam said. "It also offers validation that can enhance supply chain sustainability or facilitate projects in natural capital and carbon markets.
"It's very exciting for us to be able to open up such an incredible opportunity across a whole state, and a real testament to Tasmania that it has been prepared to support such an ambitious and impactful program."
Tasmanian Minister for Science and Technology, Madeleine Ogilvie, says the partnership is an exciting move that reflects the state's commitment to digital transformation.
"I'm incredibly proud of the way projects like this are helping propel Tasmania to the forefront of a rapidly evolving, technology-enabled world," she said.
"This agreement cleverly leverages technology for maximum benefit, and I am excited about what it means for our agriculture sector and for our entire state."
Virtual TAS board member and the CEO of TasNetworks Sean McGoldrick says the partnership will deliver great returns on investment for the people of Tasmania.
"It has always been our vision that Virtual TAS would unlock as much opportunity as possible for the state," he said.
Tasmanian farmers will be able to sign up for AgTwin from mid-2024 and can register interest at www.agronomeye.com.au/tasmania
Paula Thompson
Paula Thompson is ACM's National Machinery and Ag Tech writer. She has been an agricultural journalist for more than 20 years. Prior to her current role, she was a reporter with the Stock Journal, covering livestock markets and the grains industry.
Paula Thompson is ACM's National Machinery and Ag Tech writer. She has been an agricultural journalist for more than 20 years. Prior to her current role, she was a reporter with the Stock Journal, covering livestock markets and the grains industry.
