Nestled in the rolling hills of Oxfordshire, Jo’Jo’s Vineyard has long been a testament to quality and innovation in viticulture. AerialData has been working closely with Ian Beecher-Jones, the vineyard manager, to merge state-of-the-art drone technology with age-old wine-growing traditions.
Surveying the Vineyard: A Prelude to Success
Our pre-season survey marked the continuation of a partnership that started in August 2023. With AerialData’s advanced drone technology, we captured a comprehensive set of data from the vineyard, leveraging the precision and efficiency drones bring to the intricate art of viticulture. . “Disease management is always a challenge for any grower… but also nutrition as well,” Ian explains. He recognizes the complexities of vineyard management and the critical role that accurate data plays. “AerialData is one of the pioneers of drone data collection, and they’re looking at it in a very detailed view of how they acquire the data, how they analyse it, and then, most importantly, we’re working together on how we can act on that data.”
The Role of RTK Precision: Navigating with Accuracy
One cornerstone of our technological suite is the integration of RTK (Real-Time Kinematic) positioning to ensure that every image captured by our drones offers centimeter-level accuracy. This cutting-edge method corrects satellite positioning signals to combat any potential inaccuracies that could affect the precision mapping of the vineyard. By employing RTK, we’re able to create highly detailed and accurate maps that allow Ian and his team to make the most informed decisions.
Setting the Stage for Success: Insights for the Season Ahead
AerialData’s work with JoJo’s has yielded a variety of maps, each serving a unique purpose in the vineyard’s management. Ian explains the benefits of this approach: “Multispectral is telling us where there’s an area of difference – whether you’re above average or below average in relation to other parts of the crop.” The maps we produced include orthomosaics, which offer a detailed, bird’s-eye view of the vineyard; NDVI maps, which provide insights into the density and health of the vegetation over time; and digital elevation models, which reveal the topography of the land—a crucial factor in understanding water distribution and sun exposure across different sections. All of this was made possible through our use of advanced software and analytics.
With the insights gained from AerialData’s surveys, JoJO’s Vineyard can make informed decisions about where to focus their efforts. “So last season we got a good number of maps that have identified where areas of variation are through multispectral cameras, and once we’ve got that, we can then start to look at our remedial action of what we’re going to do to improve the crop in those areas,” Ian states. His approach to viticulture mirrors the shift in the wider agricultural industry: “We’re in a new world now, we’re looking at labour challenges… we can identify a lot more a lot quicker using drone technology.” The proactive stance of JoJO’s Vineyard in embracing such advanced methods highlights their dedication not just to maintaining the vineyard’s health, but enhancing it for future resilience.
Embracing the Future: Innovations in Vineyard Management
As we continue our venture, AerialData remains committed to delivering insights that lead to growth and sustainability. Ian Beecher-Jones’s final thoughts resonate with the promise of this collaboration: “At JoJo’s, we’ve been at the forefront of precision viticulture ever since we planted, realizing the huge opportunities that we have. And yeah, working with AerialData is very exciting, the multispectral data, how it’s analyzed. And that dialogue is going to be even more important moving forward.”
JoJo’s Vineyard’s journey with AerialData exemplifies the seamless fusion of tradition with innovation—a partnership where precision leads to perfection. As we continue our mission, we invite you to explore the technological advancements that can elevate your vineyard to new heights.
Interested in what precision agriculture can do for your vineyard? Let’s discuss how our drone technology can help your business grow.
