Mapping Milkweed for Monarchs: Using Innovative Technology to Support Biodiversity Conservation
November 15, 2023: POLLi is a one-of-a-kind product that supports data collection and analysis by utilizing automated drone operations for image collection, machine-learning cloud computing for object detection, and in-depth online software for image analysis and reporting.
POLLi was developed in close collaboration with the Monarch Joint Venture (MJV), which facilitates a national partnership network of federal and state agencies, non-governmental organizations, businesses, and academic programs working together to protect monarchs and other pollinators. MJV pinpointed the necessity to enhance the efficiency and scalability of monarch habitat monitoring across the North American range due to the labor-intensive nature of manual field counts.
"My deep conviction that technology can catalyze positive change in the world inspired me to develop POLLi," said Greg Emerick, CEO of Simple Business Automation. "Through collaboration with technology leaders like the POLLi team and dedicated conservationist experts of MJV, we created a platform that empowers us all to become better stewards of our planet. POLLi captures and processes exponentially greater amounts of milkweed data than the manual efforts performed today, embodying my belief that when we harness innovation for the greater good, we can protect and preserve the natural world for future generations."
As the primary conservation collaborator, the MJV pinpointed the necessity to enhance the efficiency and scalability of habitat monitoring across the North American monarch range due to the labor-intensive nature of manual field counts. After multiple years of development, vigorous field and beta-testing of POLLi, the tool is ready to support broad-scale conservation efforts.
"This technology innovation will have conservation benefits beyond the charismatic monarch butterfly,” says Wendy Caldwell, Executive Director of the MJV. “When seamlessly integrated into conservation research, it equips our community with advanced tools to quickly and precisely assess habitat quality and distribution, enabling more strategic resource allocation for the protection of a diverse range of plants and animals.”
By bringing together experts from conservation, business, artificial intelligence, software development, and academia, this endeavor is a true demonstration of collaboration for the greater good. Matt Sather, General Manager of Botlink, reflects on the development of the POLLi software platform as “the culmination of everything Botlink has developed in the past.” Radix Solution Lead Victor Hutse states, “At Radix, leveraging the latest artificial intelligence advancements for a positive impact is a core goal.”
The development of POLLi continues to expand rapidly, including new machine learning algorithms that will enable POLLi to identify new categories and species, as well as other objects captured with drone photography.
About POLLi - POLLi is a conservation platform that brings your organization's natural resource data to life. POLLi enables users to survey and characterize biodiversity across large land areas accurately and quickly. Multiple sensor types typically mounted on drones collect data which are processed using artificial intelligence. For more information, visit: https://polligps.com/
About Simple Business Automation – SBA was Founded in Waverly, M.N., after a 12-year history of working in technology development in remote sensing and new technology applications. Realizing the need to develop a platform specific to conservation needs, SBA has transformed the means and methods of designing and delivering technology to align conservation, sustainability, land management practices, and ESG reporting for business and habitat monitoring. For more information, visit: https://SimpleBusinessAutomation.com/
About Monarch Joint Venture –Since 2009, the MJV has convened partners from across the United States in a coordinated effort to advance national monarch and pollinator conservation goals. MJV implement science-based conservation actions through education, habitat creation, science, and partnership. In an effort to engage All Hands on Deck for monarch conservation, the MJV network welcomes broad participation from across sectors and across North America. For more information, visit: https://monarchjointventure.org/
About Botlink - Botlink was founded in Fargo, N.D., by military pilots and engineers intending to safely share the benefits of drones. Botlink is a drone software and hardware development company leading the LTE communication technology market. Botlink also provides automated drone control and safety features, allowing operators to remain safe and compliant with complex flight regulations. For more information, visit: https://botlink.com/
