Viticulture in Croatia has been benefiting in recent years from a breakthrough technology introduced by a research-intensive start-up. From the headquarters of Alti Agro in Zagreb, Ivana Rendulić Jelušić – founder and CEO of the company, as well an oenologist and wine taster with a PhD in viticulture – explains the unique features of the Vineyard Angel platform.
“The idea,” she says, “is that unlike other products on the market, our software uses AI to analyse multispectral drone-acquired imagery, focusing exclusively on the vineyard rows. In other words, our tool pre-selects the relevant parts of the image – the vines only – before processing. This results in more efficient computing and more accurate diagnostics.”
Developed in partnership with TIS Grupa, the platform integrates all relevant data into a single interface. It can geolocate and count missing vines, and provide actionable insights to growers.
“We’ve also built predictive models to monitor vine health, with a focus on six major diseases,” Ivana adds. These models rely on environmental data collected through sensors installed in the vineyard. Once the system is in place, no further input is required from the grower.
“They simply receive recommendations on what to apply and when – such as fertilisers or biostimulants – based on the principles of precision viticulture.”
To implement these recommendations, Alti Agro uses its own drones equipped with both spraying and spreading systems, offering a full drone-as-a-service solution for farmers.
There is still work to be done, but the future looks promising. “We’re still refining the decision support system (DSS) and the platform itself to achieve full automation,” she notes.
“Since our launch in 2021, we’ve been steadily increasing our sales and now hold a solid position in the Croatian market, working with around 30 vineyards, ranging from small boutique producers to large estates. We now feel ready to expand internationally – starting with France and Austria.”