Halifax-based VineView, which provides remote sensing technology for vineyards, has extended its blanket flyover coverage to the California communities of Edna Valley, Monterey, Paso Robles and Santa Barbara.

For years, VineView has flown most of Napa Valley and Sonoma County twice annually – once during bloom, and again during veraison, or the onset of ripening – capturing data on each vineyard and vine. It is now providing the same blanket coverage for vineyards in the Central Coast, one of the most important wine growing regions in the world.

This means vineyard managers and operators can access VineView’s proprietary vine-by-vine data and diagnostics from 2019, said the company in a statement.

“VineView provides the industry’s most accurate data and vineyard diagnostics available, and through our blanket coverage program, we can show vineyard operators not only how precise it is, but how they can easily harness this powerful technology to better manage day-to-day operations and long-term forecasting,” said CEO Richard Van der Put in the statement.

VineView uses aerial images to assess the health and output of vineyards, and has become the market leader in France. The company in its current form was created in early 2018 when Halifax-based SkySquirrel merged with its Napa Valley, California-based partner VineView, creating an enlarged company based in the Halifax area.

While most companies gathering and analyzing data for agricultural clients use drones to scan fields, VineView uses aircraft. It has its own fleet of three planes. Van der Put said it’s a surprisingly cost-effective way to gather data, and a single aircraft can scan all of Napa Valley in a single afternoon. The company uses its own technology called PureVine, developed by its own team, which is so precise it can give vineyard owners data on individual vines in their fields.

PureVine can identify undetected vines and canopy gaps, show stress and detect disease, the company said. The diagnostics can also divide blocks – and entire vineyards – into precise vigor zones, allowing operators to track throughout the season, and year to year.

In June, Van der Put said he is working on a funding round he hopes will reach $10 million.