Dabeeo Launches Palm Oil Farm AI Monitoring Project in Indonesia, Surpassing Area of Seoul

On May 21, 2024, Dabeeo, a forefront innovator in geospatial intelligence AI technology, unveiled its comprehensive expansion into the AI monitoring initiative in Indonesia. Under a contract with Tunas Sawa Erma (TSE) Group, a significant palm oil producer in Indonesia, Dabeeo will oversee a palm oil farm monitoring project spanning an area exceeding that of Seoul, totaling 765 square kilometers.

This agreement signifies a significant advancement in Dabeeo's palm oil farm monitoring initiative, which commenced in Malaysia last year. By securing major clients in both Indonesia and Malaysia—regions that jointly account for 80% of global palm oil production—Dabeeo aims to establish a solid footing for expanding its operations to neighboring palm oil farms. Amidst a competitive landscape of Korean companies seeking to penetrate the Indonesian market and explore business prospects, the partnership with TSE Group, boasting nearly three decades of successful palm oil operations in Indonesia, serves as a compelling indication of Dabeeo's entrance into the Indonesian market.

At present, palm oil farms primarily depend on inexpensive local labor and drone imagery for monitoring purposes. Drones are utilized to capture footage aimed at managing tree quantities and assessing health indices. However, employing drones to cover vast areas in equatorial regions, where many of these farms are situated, presents notable challenges. For example, drones can only operate for limited durations, typically between 2 to 4 hours, due to battery overheating in intense sunlight. Consequently, capturing the entire farm necessitates a considerable amount of effort. Prolonged filming periods may also introduce distortions into health assessments. Near-infrared (NIR) data within the footage is crucial for evaluating tree health. Nonetheless, NIR readings are subject to variations in sunlight intensity, potentially leading to inaccuracies in analyses. Moreover, most drones lack NIR capability, and even if available, extended filming compromises the reliability of data.

The remedy lies in AI analysis utilizing ultra-high-resolution satellite imagery. Satellite imaging provides comprehensive coverage of vast areas in a single snapshot, effectively reducing such inaccuracies. Dabeeo utilizes top-tier 30cm-resolution satellite imagery, partnering with leading commercial satellite providers such as Airbus and Maxar since 2018 to continuously refine AI models. Building upon this foundation, Dabeeo achieves over 99.5% accuracy in identifying palm tree objects and over 90% accuracy in categorizing their health status. Dabeeo's proficiency extends to change detection, facilitating early disease detection and furnishing vital data for yield forecasts by regularly updating information on afflicted trees. Dabeeo aims to broaden its collaboration with TSE Group to encompass nutrient analysis, pinpointing nutrient deficiencies in individual trees via satellite imagery to optimize fertilization plans, potentially transforming palm oil farm operations.

The processed data is tailored for user interaction via a dedicated platform. Since 2023, Dabeeo has been collaborating with TSE Group to develop a platform for monitoring Indonesian palm oil farms, leveraging its acclaimed "Dabeeo Eartheye" platform, honored at CES 2022 for its innovative satellite image-based AI analysis capabilities. While incorporating new features specific to palm oil farm management, the primary emphasis was on ensuring swift access to extensive data volumes, even in regions with limited internet connectivity. Given that most palm oil farms are situated in remote areas with scant internet access, addressing this hurdle was paramount. The platform now facilitates uninterrupted access, even at speeds as low as 12Mbps (approximately 1/14th of the average speed in South Korea), empowering farm managers to promptly respond on-site. It enables the identification of anomalous trees, precisely locating them for focused monitoring via GPS. By precisely and efficiently deploying resources, such as allocating manpower promptly to problematic areas, the platform elevates overall farm operations. Shifting from systems accessible solely to GIS experts to a web-based platform accessible to all members of the organization enhances the efficacy of farm monitoring across TSE Group.