Icaerus
2022 — 2026

The EU project ICAERUS is committed to exploring the integration of drones into agriculture, forestry,
and rural areas, providing a comprehensive analysis of the advantages and potential applications of
their utilization in this sector. The main objective of the ICAERUS project is to support farmers in
decision-making processes while increasing their productivity through the use of state-of-the-art
technology into rural environments.

Specifically, this project is divided into 5 distinct Use Cases:

1. Crop Monitoring
2. Drone Spraying
3. Livestock Monitoring
4. Forestry and Biodiversity
5. Rural Logistics

The Noumena Group participates in Use Case 1, focusing on the application of drones for monitoring
crop areas. By employing advanced crop analysis techniques, this initiative not only aims to enhance
the overall quality of crops but also advocates for environmentally responsible and resource-efficient
farming methods.

In order to achieve a successful development of the ICAERUS project, experts from various regions
across Europe are actively working and refining their solutions in diverse landscapes. This
collaborative effort is key to accomplish the overarching goals of ICAERUS, that include fostering
sustainability in agriculture, promoting precision farming practices, and ensuring the responsible
utilization of drone technology. By strategically addressing these Use Cases, the project aims to
revolutionize traditional farming methods, creating a more sustainable, efficient, and environmentally
conscious approach.

Our main objective is to integrate the use of drones for crop monitoring tasks, enabling a valuable tool
for farmers to optimize their agricultural practices. Through the integration of this technology, we aim
to significantly improve the speed and accuracy of disease identification, enabling early intervention
and minimizing crop losses. The use of unmanned systems allows for swift and comprehensive
coverage of vast agricultural landscapes, providing farmers with real-time data on crop health,
environmental conditions, and potential threats.

At Noumena, we are aware of the urgent challenges faced by the agricultural sector, including the need
for sustainable and technologically advanced solutions. The ICAERUS project serves as a testing
ground for innovative technologies, allowing us to refine and optimize drone-based crop monitoring
systems. We are dedicated to pushing the boundaries of innovation in agriculture, ultimately creating a
more resilient and productive future for farmers and the global food supply chain, , while concurrently
minimizing pesticide usage.

In our approach to address the drone monitoring challenge, we have developed a systematic
methodology to consistently achieve high-quality results. This process encompass several steps:

• Comprehensive analysis of vineyard landscape characteristics.
• Strategic deployment of weather stations for precise environmental monitoring.
• Real-time reconnaissance flights.
• Optimized data collection with drone camera system.
• Advanced algorithmic solutions for addressing plant detection, plant stress and disease identification.
• Formulation of plant treatment strategies based on extracted conclusions.
• Practical implementation of drones through local farmers collaboration.

Consequently, our emphasis lies not only on the initial deployment but also on ongoing optimization to
adapt to evolving scenarios and enhance the overall effectiveness of the monitoring system. Our
collaboration with stakeholders is a priority in order to gather valuable insights, ensuring that our
methodology aligns with real-world requirements and challenges.

Year → 2022-2026 / Location Europe / Partners Agricultural University of Athens AUA OFC / Wageningen University & Research / Foodscale Hub / Noosware BV / GEOSENSE / Institut de l’Elevage (idele) / Art 21 / AgriFood Lithuania / Technologies / The Open University / HCPA (ΕΣΥΦ)