Bioibérica has launched a remote diagnostic service that can tell users the condition of each tree or plant in a crop. This is carried out from a plane that scans crops in order to provide a wide variety of valuable information.

The Spanish company Bioibérica has begun to market its Crop-Scan service. This innovative service analyzes a crop’s temperature, hydration, chlorophyll content and fruit ripeness.

A small, piloted plane records images of a crop and presents color-coded data in order to provide highly visual results. These can point out possible problems, in order for example to spot if one area of trees lacks water even though a farmer on the ground may not be aware of it.

The development of Crop-Scan, which was presented at the biotechnology trade show Biospain, was possible thanks to the collaboration of Bioibérica which contributed its knowhow about stress on crops. Also contributing was the Sustainable Agriculture Institute, a division of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) that carries out work on remote sensing.

Until now no company could provide such a complete analysis. The service costs €20 per hectare and a report is delivered in less than 72 hours. The images obtained from this system are used to generate different maps showing objects as small as 20 centimeters.

Bioibérica also sells amino acid products (protein units) that improve crop health. The company, founded in 1975, began this new line of business having previously specialized in heparin production (an anticoagulant) and products to combat arthritis and promote joint health. In 2013 it had revenues of €250 million of which 80% were exports.