On October 19, 2023, the Aerospace Information Innovation Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences announced the official launch of its first intelligent monitoring and early warning system for plant pests and diseases, named “Eagle Eye,” during the Fifth Remote Sensing Conference on Vegetation Pests and Diseases held in Hangzhou.
The “Eagle Eye” system combines artificial intelligence technology with aerospace information and plant protection theories to address the current challenges of limited domestic detection devices and ineffective use of geographic space information in plant protection. This system aims to provide a key indigenous technical foundation for intelligent plant protection in China, ushering in a new era of intelligent monitoring and early warning for agricultural pests and diseases.
Huang Wenjiang, a researcher at the Aerospace Institute and chairman of the conference, emphasized that the successful development and application of the “Eagle Eye” system represents a significant leap forward. The integration of AI technology and aerospace information offers new capabilities in the realm of plant protection. The intelligent development of hardware, algorithmic modeling, and system construction will transform traditional pest monitoring and management methods. This innovation will facilitate dynamic, multi-scale monitoring and advanced warning of major pests and diseases, which is crucial for implementing precise and eco-friendly pest control on a large scale.
Developed collaboratively by the Aerospace Academy, Hangzhou Electronic Science and Technology University, the Hangzhou Zhongke Aerospace Digital Research Institute, and Anhui University, the “Eagle Eye” system includes various technologies such as near-ground smart in-situ detection, low-altitude intelligent remote sensing, and large-scale smart monitoring and early warning. These innovations provide targeted solutions for the industry’s critical challenges, such as difficulties in traditional field surveys, low accuracy in low-altitude monitoring, and weak regional warning capabilities.
Specifically, at the near-ground level, a smart detection device with integrated spectral information and AI detection algorithms allows for quick and precise pest detection. At the plot level, a dedicated drone for low-altitude pest inspections enables dynamic monitoring and efficient management of pest conditions within specific fields. At the regional level, a multi-scale pest monitoring and early warning system is established, incorporating remote sensing, meteorological, and plant protection information, covering major pests affecting agriculture and forestry, thereby enhancing global pest early warning capabilities and transitioning from passive to proactive prevention strategies.
The Fifth Remote Sensing Conference focused on the latest research developments and trends in using remote sensing and big data technologies for monitoring, early warning, and control of vegetation pests and diseases. The discussions spanned various fields, including remote sensing, plant protection, ecology, environmental science, meteorology, artificial intelligence, and technology ethics, addressing pest monitoring and early warning, green control, biodiversity protection, and ecological safety assessments in agriculture and forestry.
During the conference, the unveiling of the “Sino-British Joint Laboratory for Pest Monitoring and Control” marked a further step in promoting the application and industrial development of remote sensing technology in the global pest monitoring and early warning sector.
