According to data from the CleanTech group, agtech is quickly becoming a fast growing industry, with $1.14 billion invested in such companies in 2014.
Halifax-based Skysquirrel, one of this week’s pitches on The Disruptors, is one company that’s cashing in on these crops. The company uses drones to help wine vineyards gather crop analytics; its drone has the ability to detect changes in leaf colour, which can then detect early stages of disease.
“It works by utilizing a four-copter rotor drone, on which we’ve mounted a proprietary, patent-pending, multi-spectral camera, to collect reflective images from the plant surface and map diseases, water stress, plant vigor levels,” said Chris MacDonald, VP of business development. “And, according to our farmers, the ability to manage their crops more effectively.”
Co-host Bruce Croxon said there’s nothing about the business that he didn’t like. “It’s good on every level. I’m talking about the technology and less about the company—although it sounds like they’re off to a great start,” he said. “Basically what they’re saying is that a field of crops needs different treatment. You can’t treat it all the same.”
Watch the whole pitch below:
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