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Enhancing Response Against the Epiphytic Red Palm Weevil, with Pléiades Neo Imagery
In 2022, Airbus Defence & Space Intelligence launched the Pléiades Neo Challenge, a call for projects offering free access to Pléiades Neo imagery (archive & tasking).
EOCube was selected for its innovative and creative project “Wee, a new tool to improve the response against the epiphytic red palm weevil” which has a real impact on creating a more sustainable future.
A total of 17 use cases have been completed in various fields, including coastal monitoring, cliff erosion, city vegetation mapping, archaeology and more.
Challenge
The red palm weevil is a beetle that ranks amongst the most damaging insects pests of palm trees in the world. It infests the trunks of palm trees, causing the palms to fall and then the tree to die. The detection of its proliferation often occurs too late, posing a significant problem for pest monitoring.
Today, the red palm weevil is present in more than 60 countries, infesting various types of palms such as date palms, ornamental palms and coconut palms.
The challenge for EOCube is to develop a sustainable tool for detecting palm trees infected by the red weevil. Once developed, this tool will have the capacity to:
- Create comprehensive maps of large geographical areas to assess the current situation
- Identify palm trees belonging to the Canariensis species
- Determine the probability of their infection
- Identify signs of pest infestation
- Provide guidance and organise effective actions to combat this pest in urban environments
- Direct and organise actions enabling for the fight against this pest in urban environments
The overall objective of this research is to slow its progression towards the vulnerable areas of the oasis.
Our Solution
The solution aims to curb and eradicate insects by providing a means of early detection of the infection, to allow for prompt treatment.
The first phase of the Wee project involved developing a tool that can detect palm trees of the Canariensis species in urban areas using Pléiades Neo satellite images.
With Pléiades Neo very high resolution images and Red Edge band capabilities, it becomes possible to assess the health status of palm trees by detecting and differentiating:
- Dead or dying palms
- Palm trees in declination
- Palm trees in moderate condition
- Palm trees in great health
Image 1: Pléiades Neo pansharped
Image 2: Pléiades Neo false colors
Image 3: Canarian palm tree detection
Image 4: Red edge NDVI
Image 5: Canariensis palm tres classification according to their phytosanitary status
Image 6: Red palm weevil infestation map
Benefits
Thanks to Pléiades Neo images, it is possible to :
- Detect palm trees whilst distinguishing between different species
- Determine their phytosanitary status
- Cover large areas at a very reasonable cost
- Monitor the occurrence of the red palm weevil infestation with a level of repeatability that exceeds the speed of its evolution.
With all the advantages offered by Pléiades Neo’s 30cm resolution images, the new tool Wee from EOCube creates a break with the current method of managing the control of the red palm weevil epiphyte. Now, there is a sustainable solution to detect and fight in a strong way this epiphytic.
Organisation involved
EOCube (Earth Observation Cube) is a start-up that designs and develops AI based tools in response to the global challenges imposed by the effects of climate change with proactive and disruptive solutions.
EOCube
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