- Strategic Elements’ (SOR) subsidiary Stealth Technologies updates its weed detection technology software and hardware
- Stealth Technologies reduces its hardware in size and weight to allow sensors to be installed on a range of farm equipment, while software updates enable weeds to be detected in crops other than wheat
- Further testing and optimisation of the upgrades will be conducted during August on two separate farm sites in WA
- Should the tests be successful, aspects of the upgraded technology will be included in an expanded trial on up to ten farms in November during the harvesting season
- Strategic Elements last traded at 25 cents on July 26
Strategic Elements’ (SOR) subsidiary Stealth Technologies has enhanced its weed detection technology with software and hardware upgrades.
The company says the spread of weeds is a significant issue for crop yields globally, where production losses are estimated in the tens of billions and weeds are becoming increasingly herbicide resistant. SOR says the estimated cost of weeds in Australian cropping systems alone is $3.3 billion annually.
To remedy this, Stealth Technologies has enhanced its agricultural automation technology. The company has reduced the sensor hardware on its weed detection tech in size and weight, enabling sensors to be installed on a range of farm equipment, including boom sprayers, utes and drones.
Software and algorithms have also been upgraded on Stealth’s technology to enable weeds to be detected in crops other than wheat, while enabling superior processing and higher weed detection accuracy.
Rather than using typical RGB cameras to distinguish weeds and crops via colour, a sophisticated sensor, mapping and localisation technology is built in and used in an autonomous security vehicle collaboration with US company Honeywell.
Stealth says use of its technology could dramatically decrease herbicide input costs to farming, whilst maximising crop yields to make farming more efficient and profitable, while being more environmentally friendly.
Further testing and optimisation of the hardware and software upgrades will be conducted during August on two separate farm sites in WA, Pingelly and Gilligarra. Results from these trials are expected to become available in September.
Should the tests be successful, aspects of the upgraded technology will be included in an expanded trial in November, which will see up to ten farms use the Stealth technology solution during the harvesting season.
Strategic Elements last traded at 25 cents on July 26.