Terensis predicts crop yields with satellite images

The agricultural service provider Terensis, based in Winterthur, has installed a new system for forecasting the cultivation and harvesting of crops. The spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technologyin Zurich(ETH) uses satellite images, weather forecasts and plant and soil analyses of the area under consideration for its analyses and forecasts, according to an ETH press release .

Terensis uses the data sets recruited from various sources to create a digital twin of reality, which can be used to present precise, real-time analyses of the actual cultivation of agricultural products and forecasts of expected harvests. With the help of real-time satellite images, biophysical models and weather forecasts, maps can be created from which farmers can see the growth and maturity status of their crops. The constant updating of the models also allows statements to be made about risks such as weather influences or disease infestation and gives farmers the option of making targeted use of irrigation, fertilizers or pest control. The new technology from Terensis is also of interest to insurance companies for predicting damage from climate developments and calculating future insurance premiums. In addition, the company, led by its founders Lukas Graf and Gregor Perich, also offers its platform to politicians to support decision-making processes.

Terensis is supported by the ESA Business Incubation Centre Switzerland (ESA BIC CH), a program of the European Space Agency(ESA), which is supported in Switzerland by the ETH. ce/eb