Australian innovation company Strategic Elements (ASX: SOR) is extending their existing robotics and automation tech into the agriculture industry with the development of a device that will enable farmers to precisely map agricultural weeds via 3D mapping.

The device will integrate multiple data sources including GPS, light detection and high definition cameras attached to an autonomous vehicle to create highly accurate georeferenced coordinates of weeds on a property. With this data, farmers will be able to improve their weed management programs at a time where herbicide resistance is increasing due to extensive use over time.

“Our strategy from the start was to build a platform that had applications across multiple industry sectors,” said Strategic Elements Managing Director, Charles Murphy.

“However from an Australian domestic market context other sectors like agriculture, logstics and mining also have immediate opportunities.

We are following the same strategy of collaborating closely with end users to develop a solution which directly solves an existing problem with automation.”

Slower developments within the chemicals industry has meant that a lack of new herbicide chemistries being brought to market combined with the rapid increase in multiple resistance in weeds threatens crop production worldwide.

Leveraging their existing 3D mapping technology which is used in their Autonomous Security Vehicle being developed under collaboration with global tech company Honeywell, Strategic Elements will partner with the Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative (AHRI) for this agricultural application, as well as the University of Western Australia School of Agriculture and Environment.

Between the collaborating parties, Strategic Elements will gain access to a network of farmers who will assist with field testing and impact the development of the tech to best be applied in commercial situations.

As a domestic tech innovator, Strategic Elements is registered as a Pooled Development Fund where most investors do not pay capital gains tax from selling SOR shares to encourage investment in Australian innovation.