Iteris, Inc. (NYSE MKT: ITI), a leader in providing intelligent traffic management and weather information solutions, has released ClearPath Ag™ Select, an expanded Application Programming Interface (API) for iOS, Android and other computing platforms that provides access to high-resolution weather information and mapping visualization for real-time decision support.
ClearPath Ag Select™ is based on Iteris’ ClearPath Ag cloud platform, which combines the power of big data and analytics with the seasoned experience of Iteris’ in-house staff of growers, agronomists, meteorologists, and data scientists.
Previously released ClearPath Ag APIs included historical weather data, weather forecasts, hail data, Nowcast, and a real-time Virtual Rain Gauge. ClearPath Ag Select incorporates these APIs and adds growing degree days and real-time access to high-resolution weather map tiles of current weather conditions, including composite radar, infrared radar and visible satellite, one and 24-hour precipitation, temperature, and wind speeds.
ClearPath Ag Select provides high-resolution map visualizations of field-specific weather data up to a 1×1 kilometer, with location-specific weather information derived from a targeted array of ag weather observation and forecasting platforms. Advanced data assimilation and modeling then delivers the high-resolution data for precision agriculture applications.
Once integrated into their information systems, ClearPath Ag Select’s comprehensive solution allows agribusiness field staff to use the power of the ClearPath Ag platform to understand the effects of weather on their customer’s crops and the dynamic conditions in the field.
“As a decision-making support system, ClearPath Ag Select field-level weather information provides agribusiness crop consultants, advisors, and agronomists unparalleled accuracy for planning field equipment activity, such as planting, harvesting and in-season crop protection measures,” noted Abbas Mohaddes, president and CEO of Iteris. “ClearPath Ag Select reflects our commitment to deliver precision ag solutions, and the actionable, field-level weather intelligence that is needed for efficient crop management, risk reduction and mitigation, and resource allocation.”
“The release of ClearPath Ag Select also reflects our strategic plan to leverage our core strengths in high resolution surface weather and data analytics in order to enter adjacent markets,” continued Mohaddes. “We’ve received incredible interest in our precision ag weather capabilities and look forward to continue signing more agribusiness customers as the harvest season winds down.”
Iteris plans to introduce other ClearPath Ag products in the coming months that address soil condition modeling, weather-based field alerting, and planting intelligence.
“We recognize the value of Iteris’ field-level weather content and what it can mean for our customers in terms of effectively managing their crops and improving field production decisions,” commented Chad Ringenberg, Vice President of AgriData, Iteris’ newest precision ag weather partner. “We look forward to visualizing much of this data in our system and enabling our customers to reap the benefits of high resolution field-level weather from greater decision support to better planning, improved operations and savings on input costs.”
According to an IBISWorld report on the Precision Agriculture Systems and Services, the demand for precision agriculture from vertically integrated agribusiness will continue to expand through 2018. As the deficiencies realized through precision ag technologies become more widely reported, the report indicates that farmers will need to adopt the new technology or risk being outperformed. In turn, a growing awareness of precision agriculture’s benefits will likely translate into higher use rates, driving revenue for the Precision Agriculture Systems and Services industry.