Al Ain is using artificial intelligence to analyse the quantity and health of its thousands of palm trees.
The collaboration with Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre counted 45,000 palms in Abu Dhabi's "Garden City", analysing satellite imagery to an accuracy of 98.7 per cent in less than seven days.
Before technology was introduced, the most reliable way to assess land use or crop performance was to send surveyors into the field to measure by hand.
The process was slow and expensive to determine if crops were healthy and the yield was good, according to US research non-profit RTI International.
In addition to being faster and less expensive, combining AI and satellite imaging can provide actionable insights for farmers, such as helping them pinpoint irrigation and fertiliser needs, or monitor for erosion or the effects of climate change.
Al Ain, which has been a Unesco world heritage site for a decade, is home to extensive oases and more than 100 varieties of date palm trees.
Saeed Al Mansoori, who leads the department that developed the technology at the space centre, said the project demonstrated its readiness to generate insights on other environmental monitoring efforts.
The centre builds and operates Earth observation satellites, offering imaging and data analysis services to clients around the world, and is also part of the International Disasters Charter and Sentinel Asia, playing a crucial role in disaster relief and management globally.
"These services provided by MBRSC have been used for monitoring environmental changes, in addition to disaster relief efforts, as artificial intelligence enables us to integrate information, analyse data and use the resulting insights to improve decision making,” Mr Al Mansoori said.
In the case of the Al Ain project, the centre aims to support the UAE's efforts to increase agricultural productivity, and to serve as an example of how technology can help in realising sustainable development while preserving the environment and balancing economic and social development.
In addition to Earth monitoring, the centre is also responsible for the UAE Astronaut Programme, which led Maj Hazza Al Mansouri to become the first Emirati astronaut, when he travelled to the International Space Station on a scientific mission in 2019. The centre also oversees the development of the Mars 2117 project to build a human colony on Mars.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The biog
Alwyn Stephen says much of his success is a result of taking an educated chance on business decisions.
His advice to anyone starting out in business is to have no fear as life is about taking on challenges.
“If you have the ambition and dream of something, follow that dream, be positive, determined and set goals.
"Nothing and no-one can stop you from succeeding with the right work application, and a little bit of luck along the way.”
Mr Stephen sells his luxury fragrances at selected perfumeries around the UAE, including the House of Niche Boutique in Al Seef.
He relaxes by spending time with his family at home, and enjoying his wife’s India cooking.
How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
360Vuz PROFILE
Date started: January 2017
Founder: Khaled Zaatarah
Based: Dubai and Los Angeles
Sector: Technology
Size: 21 employees
Funding: $7 million
Investors: Shorooq Partners, KBW Ventures, Vision Ventures, Hala Ventures, 500Startups, Plug and Play, Magnus Olsson, Samih Toukan, Jonathan Labin
Scoreline
Chelsea 1
Azpilicueta (36')
West Ham United 1
Hernandez (73')
MATCH INFO
Day 2 at Mount Maunganui
England 353
Stokes 91, Denly 74, Southee 4-88
New Zealand 144-4
Williamson 51, S Curran 2-28
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Insomniac%20Games%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%20Sony%20Interactive%20Entertainment%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsole%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPlayStation%205%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%205%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE and Russia in numbers
UAE-Russia ties stretch back 48 years
Trade between the UAE and Russia reached Dh12.5 bn in 2018
More than 3,000 Russian companies are registered in the UAE
Around 40,000 Russians live in the UAE
The number of Russian tourists travelling to the UAE will increase to 12 percent to reach 1.6 million in 2023
Company profile
Name: Steppi
Founders: Joe Franklin and Milos Savic
Launched: February 2020
Size: 10,000 users by the end of July and a goal of 200,000 users by the end of the year
Employees: Five
Based: Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai
Financing stage: Two seed rounds – the first sourced from angel investors and the founders' personal savings
Second round raised Dh720,000 from silent investors in June this year
Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
