Assessing Equipment and Technologies for use in the Development of Dykelands and Upland in Atlantic Canada for Sustainable Agricultural Production

The research in this Master’s project is focused on documenting and analyzing the contemporary costs associated with maintaining and/or developing agricultural dykeland and the costs associated with the development of upland. It will also recognize the evolution of land development equipment and identify modern equipment and technologies appropriate to maximize agricultural potential on both dykeland and upland. Primary outcomes from this research will involve determining the financial cost of improving under-utilized dykeland and a return on investment using contemporary technology and innovative techniques versus traditional methods. This will involve researching, and potentially testing, cutting-edge technologies used in agriculture and dyke maintenance including, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), structure from motion (SfM) software, remote sensing, topographical surveying, land development machinery and precision agriculture. These technologies will be subjected to a cost-benefit analysis to determine their efficacy in modern dykeland management.

Faculty Supervisor:

Travis Esau

Student:

Mathieu Bilodeau

Partner:

Atlantic Land Improvement Contractors Association

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Other

University:

Dalhousie University