Technology and cartography
Bodega Otazu collaborates with TRACASA, AIN (Industry Association of Navarra) and UPNA (Public University of Navarra) in a research project that develops technology and precision mapping for vineyard management.
Winegrowers and winemakers are aware of the existence of differences, more or less accentuated, both in the quantity and quality of the grapes harvested in their vineyards. Knowing and mapping this spatial variability is of great importance for greater efficiency in vineyard management.
For this reason, Bodega Otazu collaborates with TRACASA, AIN and UPNA in a research project that develops technologies and precision mapping for vineyard management.
The project consists of capturing images with multispectral cameras on board a UAO (Unmanned Aerial System) and an airplane. The data are recorded by a field sensor attached to an all-terrain vehicle. This equipment provides information of higher spatial and temporal resolution than that provided so far by satellite images.
The images are taken during veraison, when the grapes are changing color, approximately one month before harvest. After data capture and processing, vigor maps specifying areas with high or low vigor can be available in about five days.
The project also establishes the relationships between indices derived from multispectral information and parameters of vine production, grape quality and soil characteristics.
The precision viticulture study ultimately aims to generate a Precision Viticulture Service that, once incorporated into the market, will offer vineyard vigor maps and other relevant information to wineries that request them on an annual basis. Wineries will be able to access and manage this information through a web viewer.
This work is part of a larger research project entitled Precision Cartography using Unmanned and Manned Aerial Systems for the Management of Winegrowing and Artistic Heritage (IPT-2011-1188-370000).
The global project, which has been running since 2011 and ended in December 2014, is funded by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness within the National Plan for Scientific Research, Development and Technological Innovation 2008-2011, INNPACTO Subprogram. The overall project has a budget of 632,000 euros and has an aid of 288,545.78 euros in the form of a grant and 117,858.57 euros in the form of a loan.
The consortium formed by TRACASA (leader and coordinator) is developing the precision viticulture subproject (one of the two objectives that make up the overall project) in the facilities of the Otazu Winery (Etxauri, Navarra).
