PGG Wrightson has collaborated with Inde Technology to create a new application called SkyCount, which integrates drone technology with Microsoft’s artificial intelligence to help farmers expedite their routine livestock counts.
The AI-driven technology is said to have the capability to quickly survey large properties in just minutes, a task that typically takes farmers weeks to complete when counting sheep and cattle, particularly on larger farms with multiple herds.
PGG Wrightson business development coordinator James Steele said the drone could capture aerial footage of a property while artificial intelligence tallied specific species below.
The drone’s propellers have also been modified, flying at 120m to ensure that the animals remain undisturbed.
Inde Technology chief technology officer Rik Roberts said the team has faced numerous challenges to achieve 99% accuracy in certain instances.
Roberts said they changed the drone’s propellers to make it sound “less offensive” to animals as they “don’t want to disturb the stock at all.”
“We have very hilly terrain, scrub terrain, weather conditions, remote locations, no internet, that sort of thing.”
“So we had to develop something that was self-contained and portable, but easy enough that a Wrightson’s rep could go out and fly it on their own,” he added.
While the emphasis has primarily been on beef, dairy, and sheep, this technology is seen to have potential applications in other areas, including verifying crops, assessing crop areas, and monitoring crop health.
