The Klagenfurt University spin-off is deploying its AI-powered drone monitoring systems to Dutch greenhouse operators
Carinthian agritech startup Avemoy, a spin-off of Klagenfurt University, has revealed that it is delivering its Hortiscan systems to greenhouse operators in Austria following a successful market launch.
At the same time, the first systems are being deployed in the Netherlands, it said, marking ”a strategic milestone in Avemoy‘s European growth trajectory”.
Hortiscan is a fully automated greenhouse monitoring system consisting of specially developed, autonomously flying drones and highly specialised artificial intelligence.
“The system brings data acquisition to a new dimension, leveraging a novel approach to autonomy capable of capturing real-world data using drones without GPS and in unknown environments,” Avemoy outlined.
“This unprecedented drone navigation algorithm extends the work done for the Ingenuity Mars helicopter, allowing commercial drones to operate autonomously without the necessity of additional specialised navigation sensors.”
Hortiscan is designed to provide processed data tailored to growers‘ needs, including harvest prediction, pruning controls, broken vine identification, russet mite identification, scanning and itemisation of quality classes, identification of fruit and vine defects, and recording of temperature, humidity and IR data.
The system covers one hectare of greenhouse area per unit, with the Edge Charger serving as docking station, charger and processing unit for the fully autonomous AI software.
According to Avemoy, Hortiscan offers over 33 per cent cost savings and reduces resource consumption by up to 50 per cent.
”We are seeing strong demand from professional growers who recognise the value of data-driven greenhouse production,” explained CEO Michael Gruber.
“With Hortiscan, manual and visual crop monitoring becomes automated. Our customers can detect issues early, set measures for crop health, and achieve higher yields of premium quality product.“
The Netherlands represents one of the world‘s most important greenhouse clusters and a strategic priority for Avemoy‘s international expansion, the group confirmed.
The first Hortiscan systems are now being deployed to Dutch greenhouse operators, establishing the foundation for a planned subsidiary in 2026.
“The Netherlands is home to the most innovative greenhouse growers and technology leaders in horticulture,” Gruber continued.
“Entering this market validates our technology and opens doors throughout Europe and beyond.”
The expansion into the Netherlands follows a successful pilot phase with Austrian partner Frutura, a subsidiary of the DOL Group and one of Austria‘s leading vegetable producers.
The close cooperation with Frutura enabled Avemoy to develop and refine Hortiscan under real-world production conditions at Thermal-Gemüsewelt in Blumau, the startup pointed out.
”Small drone, big impact. That is what Hortiscan delivers to greenhouse operators worldwide,“ Gruber concluded.
“We are bringing true autonomy and artificial intelligence to where it creates real added value – in food production.”
