Ravensdown has launched HawkEye Response, a software tool to help farmers map and deal with slips that have impacted farm effective areas, compromised paddocks or taken out fences. Users can also identify erosion-prone areas to prepare for future weather events.  

The new tool combines pre and post Cyclone Gabrielle satellite data with fixed wing aerial imagery and brings it into Ravensdown’s existing HawkEye software.  

Once in HawkEye, the images of slips and washouts are cross-referenced against existing fence line data to give farmers an up-to-date spatial view of weather damage on their property.  

Garry Diack, Ravensdown Chief Executive Officer, says the tool will help farmers identify immediate hazards and other areas of concern so they can direct resources to those areas. 

“Many farmers in the Hawke’s Bay and East Coast still can’t easily access parts of their farm, so it can be incredibly difficult for them to get a representative view of what needs to be fixed first.  

“HawkEye Response enables farmers to get that full picture of their farm and prioritise remedial work according to the severity of damage and necessity for farm operations.” 

Farmers can identify each paddock’s new effective area and test new methods of farm and stock management virtually before committing to any changes. The software’s analysis and editing abilities can also help with the set up of exclusion zones so that slips can be retargeted for re-seeding and erosion prone areas cordoned off from future re-seeding or stock grazing.

Diack says the software is designed to be an enduring part of the farmer toolkit and will be enhanced and improved as it develops. 

“The aerial imagery gives farmers better ability to spot potential hazards for future weather events, such as badly placed culverts or infrastructure close to waterways. 

“As the latest aerial mapping and satellite imagery comes through, HawkEye Response will be updated so farmers always have a close to real-time picture of their land from above and can respond to any issues,” says Diack. 

“Data from the software can also provide information to help cyclone-hit farmers with insurance claims.” 

Benefits of HawkEye Response: 

• Gives a view of pre and post Cyclone Gabrielle imagery 
• Overlays farms’ fence lines  
• Identifies new slips 
• Calculates each slip’s area
• For each paddock, produces the new effective area 
• Editing tools enable measurement of distance or areas
• Can ringfence areas to be evaluated for future land use
• Data can be downloaded for use in spreadsheets 

Ravensdown is offering the tool to cyclone impacted customers free of charge. However, all farmers, including non-Ravensdown customers who are not already mapped in HawkEye can access this tool by getting in touch with their local Ravensdown representative.