Agritech, AI, and ground drones to detect crop anomalies and diseases: Strahl launches the MASTER project

Detecting crop diseases and anomalies in real time through an intelligent system that autonomously learns the plants' normal conditions and automatically identifies any deviations. This is the goal of MASTER, an acronym for "Modular Agricultural Surveillance, Telemetry and Etiological Recognition," an experimental research project valued at over €200,000, developed by Strahl , a Treviso-based company with over 50 years of experience in the production of grain treatment systems, and co-financed by the SMACT Competence Center as part of the IRISS call for proposals.

The project represents a paradigm shift in the application of artificial intelligence in precision agriculture. Unlike traditional systems that require expert agronomists to manually label thousands of images to recognize specific diseases, MASTER uses generative AI and unsupervised learning to autonomously create models of plant growth conditions. This innovation allows the system to identify any anomaly without needing to be trained on explicit examples of each abnormal condition.

To achieve this goal, Strahl, thanks to a collaboration with Digital Strategy Innovation, created a flexible platform for the application of multi-sensor artificial intelligence tools. Specifically, MASTER enabled the deployment of a ground-based drone that, by moving within rows of vines or other crops, can collect images to identify any plant anomalies or pests.

The core of the solution is based on the integration of two key elements: the multi-sensor Survey Head , an accessory mounted on an autonomous ground drone, and the Crop Learner software platform. The former acquires images in different spectra (visible, thermal, infrared), while the latter analyzes this data using artificial intelligence techniques. The advantage is that this system can operate efficiently without the need for massive, manually labeled data sets.

For farmers, the benefits are numerous: early detection of plant diseases and stress before symptoms become visible to the naked eye, and optimization of water resources through precision irrigation. Continuous and automated monitoring dramatically reduces manual labor and allows for more efficient management of larger areas.

"The real challenge is not just innovating the way we observe crops, but reinventing the interaction between humans, technology, and nature," explains Flavio Fusari, Group R&D and Innovation Director. "With MASTER, we've taken the first steps toward an open digital infrastructure that, in the future, will enable every farmer to anticipate risks, share knowledge, and participate in an ecosystem where data becomes tools for sustainable decisions. Generative artificial intelligence and autonomous drones are just the beginning: we can already imagine applications that will cover new crops and collaboration systems between farms, making disease prevention and resource management increasingly effective, inclusive, and scalable. The true value will be creating a digital agricultural community, where innovation arises from the network between businesses, research, and the local community."

Strahl

Strahl has been manufacturing grain dryers since 1966. From its founding in Villorba, Treviso, where it maintains its operational and manufacturing roots, Strahl has become a global player in the industry, producing thousands of dryers and serving dozens of markets worldwide. Its capacity for innovation, customization, reliability, and meticulous attention to after-sales service are the factors that have allowed the company to build a solid international reputation: today, Strahl is the European leader in the grain dryer sector, with over 80% of its production destined for export and a continuing expansion into new markets.

The recent acquisition of the Agrimec mobile dryer brand, integrated into its own system, has allowed Strahl to further implement a complete and flexible product offering.

SMACT is the national Competence Center for the digitalization of Italian businesses, established in the Northeast of Italy through an alliance between Triveneto universities, research institutions, public facilitation agencies, and over 80 technology and early adopter companies. Through an innovation ecosystem, SMACT is the institutional partner that helps companies initiate and implement their digital and technological transformation journeys. By listening to and analyzing companies' needs, the Competence Center activates the best skills to offer innovation, training, research, and development services.