On August 16, Hydrosat is launching its first “homemade” satellite VanZyl-1 on SpaceX’s Transporter-11 from California. Royce Dalby, president and co-founder of Hydrosat tells us more about the launch, the features of the satellite and the implications for the fast-growing climate tech.
What does this first launch mean for Hydrosat? How does it affect the services you offer?
The launch of VanZyl-1 marks a significant milestone for Hydrosat, establishing us as a key player in the space and climate tech industries. For the first time, our commercial satellite will provide high-resolution thermal imagery covering the entire Earth, including both land and water. This breakthrough will transform how growers and government agencies monitor and address agricultural, environmental, and climate challenges.
While Hydrosat owns the satellite, its components were developed by specialized manufacturers, allowing us to mitigate operational and financial risks and benefit from the expertise of industry leaders. This approach enables us to concentrate on developing impactful applications for businesses and the environment, leveraging the top-tier space hardware provided by our partners.
According to your press release the satellite will showcase Hydrosat’s proprietary custom imagers. What does this mean and how do they differ from other satellites?
Hydrosat’s VanZyl-1 spacecraft will be the first high-resolution thermal imager covering the entire planet, offering superior quality and more frequent data that will enhance our commercial products. This advancement provides farmers and agribusinesses with critical information to improve food security and conserve water.
Traditional remote sensing for agriculture primarily uses the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to assess plant health based on greenness. However, NDVI has limitations, as green plants can still be water-stressed. Thermal imagery, on the other hand, measures the temperature of plant leaves, similar to how a fever indicates illness in humans. This temperature data reveals plant health weeks before changes are visible through NDVI, revolutionizing farming practices.
“Hydrosat data appeals to two main client groups: government agencies and commercial customers.”
Royce Dalby, president and co-founder of Hydrosat
What are some of the most important insights growers and government agencies will be able to extract from these images?
VanZyl-1’s thermal imagery will revolutionize water management and agriculture by providing high-resolution heat maps of the planet. These maps will help mitigate climate change impacts and enhance global food security.
Hydrosat’s products maximize water productivity, ensuring farmers achieve more crop per drop. Our IrriWatch software, already in use across millions of hectares in more than 40 countries, will benefit from our satellite data, improving system reliability. Field tests demonstrate our applications can boost crop yields by up to 50% while reducing water use by up to 30%, offering a dual benefit of increased food production and water conservation.
Can you share some of the clients who will be making use of the data provided by your satellite?
Since announcing our early adopter program in June, we’ve seen tremendous interest. Major agribusiness companies have signed up to enhance crop production in their supply chains. A multinational oil and gas company aims to help reduce carbon emissions from rice farming. Government water authorities seek to improve water management, while NGOs focus on increasing food production. Government science agencies will use our data to better understand climate change impacts, enabling more informed policy decisions. The diverse range of organizations eager to utilize our thermal data is truly impressive.
Which new clients do you hope to reach with the launch of VanZyl-1?
Hydrosat data appeals to two main client groups: government agencies and commercial customers. Government agencies, already aware of the value of thermal data, are eagerly anticipating the launch to gain a new tool for environmental analysis. VanZyl-1 will provide them with unprecedented data quality and resolution to address various challenges.
For commercial customers, we currently offer practical applications that deliver exceptional insights for agriculture, forestry, and water management. The new satellite data will enhance our impact, providing tools that improve irrigation, increase water productivity, and mitigate risks, thus lowering costs and boosting revenues. As customers experience the immediate benefits, we expect our market reach to expand significantly.
What goals do you have for the second half of 2024?
Hydrosat will continue to work toward expanding our satellite network, starting with the launch of Van-Zyl 2 in early 2025 and aiming to have a complete satellite constellation operational by 2026. This growth will enhance global data coverage and reliability, cementing Hydrosat’s position as a leader in agricultural technology and climate solutions. Our commitment to innovation will drive advancements in thermal imaging and data analytics, continuously improving the services we offer.