AUSTRALIAN farmers could soon have a more accurate and efficient way to understand haystack degradation on their properties.
A new collaborative research project between Food Agility CRC, Charles Sturt University (CSU), IAG, and Myriota will review what data is most essential to understanding haystack degradation as a precursor to fires.
According to the Country Fire Authority, spontaneous ignition is the leading cause of haystack fires in Victoria.
The preventable fires put crops, machinery, and fencing at risk, as well as impacting the livelihood and mental health of those impacted.
Throughout the project, haystacks will be individually monitored, and the data collected will be transmitted via Myriota developed satellite communication technology to a central monitoring and visualisation location.
Here, the data will be modelled to recommend sensor configuration and placement in haystacks and generate timely alerts to farmers when their haystacks are at an increased chance of combustion.
The research team will also look at how to identify the critical indicators and process this data to send alerts through Myriota’s satellite communications system.
This will allow for monitoring on properties that previously had low or no telecommunications coverage.
