By combining modern digital photography with sUAS, the project team aimed to provide agricultural producers, resource managers, consultants, biosecurity personnel with the capacity to detect pests and diseases — including invasive species — before outbreaks occur. The technology is applicable across scales (plant-paddock-region), and can monitor across a range of host plants (e.g. wheat, vineyards, orchards) in diverse environments.
Targeted pests and diseases including sugarcane aphid, cereal aphids, yellow stripe rust, myrtle rust and phylloxera were used to develop a generalized decision matrix to direct biosecurity surveillance programs to better predict the likelihood of pest presence and potential areas for surveillance. This matrix is transferable to other pests and cropping systems. Training end-users in the use and on the capacity of sUAS occurred through several workshops, crop schools, and conferences in three countries, where seven remote pilots in command (RPIC) and over 20 biosecurity staff were formally trained.
If you have any questions, please contact nspcoordinator@phau.com.au.
Author(s): Plant Biosecurity CRC
Published: 30 June, 2018
Date added: 12 March, 2024
Any unusual plant pest, disease or weed should be reported.
Reporting hotlines operate in both Australia and New Zealand (numbers shown below).
Australian Exotic Plant Pest Hotline
New Zealand Pest and Disease Hotline
Pests can also be reported using apps, such as MyPestGuide® for Australia, that allow you to submit a photo of the pest or symptoms.
Every report is taken seriously and handled confidentially. Management of calls varies in different areas, but to the same end.
Join a community of professionals dedicated to strengthening surveillance capacity and capability across the Australasia-Pacific region.
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