Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) is the most significant allergenic plant of our time which can
appear in almost any part of our climate zone. Accurate monitoring with traditional on-site visits is
resource-intensive and inefficient. In many cases, large, weedy patches in agricultural fields,
undetectable to the bare eye from the edge of the field, can produce significant amounts of pollen
that can be carried by the wind to a distance of hundreds of kilometers.
The presence of ragweed is very difficult to accurately measure, satellite and drone technologies are
the most commonly used for this purpose, but the former is not accurate enough and the latter is
very slow and small-scale solution. Aerial survey systems, consisting of high-capacity digital cameras
and hyperspectral sensors used by Envirosense Hungary, and a method developed specifically for the
detection of ragweed, are capable for mapping large areas quickly and reliably. A survey of a large
city and its surrounding area of hundreds of km 2 can be carried out in a day, and maps showing the
presence of ragweed can be produced in a few days.
Hyperspectral sensor mapping can be an effective tool for rapid, accurate mapping of ragweed,
making it an effective tool for controlling this aggressively spreading weed.