Canterbury-based company Treetech is partnering with Singaporean company Greehill, bringing light detection and ranging (LiDAR) scanning and AI Monitoring to New Zealand for the first time.
The new ground — based LiDAR technology provided by Greehill is attached to a Treetech vehicle, which will scan trees around the country.
Utilising this technology 8000 trees can be scanned per day, measuring and detecting structural weaknesses, health issues, and environment stress factors.
Data is processed into an AI-powered database, enabling users to view information and identify potential hazards and risks before potential danger.
Treetech Managing Director Chris Walsh said in a statement this new system would be a great tool for councils and the like to incorporate.
‘‘It can calculate an area’s canopy cover, how much carbon the trees are removing, and the information on the health of individual trees to avoid accidents.’’
Gore will be one of the first towns surveyed, alongside Invercargill and Auckland, after the Gore District Council purchased the service.
Parks and Recreation Manager Keith McRobie said, in a statement, the new technology would be invaluable for the district.
‘‘This system offers several benefits, including an accurate and comprehensive inventory of our tree stock, 3-D imaging of each tree, and detailed assessments of their health, condition and structural integrity.’’
Mr McRobie said there were also benefits when it came to keeping Gore clean and green.
‘‘Additionally it provides insights into the amount of carbon each tree sequesters, and the oxygen they produce.
‘‘These environmental benefits can be incorporated into our annual report, helping to highlight our contributions to climate change mitigation.’’
The exact cost of the services could not be disclosed due to it being commercially sensitive, but Mr McRobie stated it was 20% cheaper and with more useful data than in 2017, when the last survey was conducted.
