The goal of the partnership is to automate and reduce the number of human interventions required when operating drones and processing imagery data collected during an inspection by using Embedded Systems. The KTPs combination of artificial intelligence, machine learning and computer vision will help the company to maintain its position as a market leader in the solar sector by delivering technologically advanced and intuitive inspection and analysis services to the booming solar sector.
Above Surveying’s recent success is creating jobs in the region with the company planning to recruit a further ten members of staff in 2019 to meet demand. The new partnership with the University will also allow Above Surveying to expand its international reach even further.
“There is now a pressing need to be able to identify and report on a wide variety of issues identified within solar panels across utility scale solar farms” said Will Hitchcock, Managing Director of Above Surveying. “We aim to deliver a range of solutions that can be utilised at scale in order to address forthcoming industry challenges through our latest partnership with the University of Essex.”
Above Surveying is starting its second Knowledge Transfer Partnership with the University’s School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering to further develop its high-tech service, to continue to support their ambitious growth in the UK sector and in international markets.
Through the partnership Above Surveying are combining academics in the fields of AI and computer vision with valuable market intelligence to deliver a range of services that will prove valuable to the utility-scale solar industry.
The Knowledge Transfer Partnership programme is a world-leading programme funded by Innovate UK that helps businesses innovate by connecting them to the UK's wealth of academic resources. A carefully recruited Computer Vision researcher known as the KTP Associate - will be based at Above Surveying full-time and work closely with the University of Essex’s academic team will manage the project.
“Computer vision is a cutting-edge technology in modern business and the University of Essex has a wealth of leading academics in this space” added Robert Walker, Head of Business Engagement at the University of Essex. “Bringing growing businesses onto our Colchester Campus is exactly what we are aiming to do as we develop the Knowledge Gateway further. We think there are so many benefits to being able to connect directly in to our expertise and graduate talent.”
For additional information:
