Invasive Species Mapping
We're developing drone + deep learning tools to map invasive species across Alberta. We're looking for partners and sites for the 2026 season.
What drones changes for you
Field surveys are accurate at the point level — but they can't give you the full spatial picture, and every site visit carries risk.
Don't spread what you're trying to stop
Every ATV trip and field walk carries invasive seeds between sites. For reclaimed land, each ground visit is a contamination risk. Drones map your site without ever touching the ground.
Catch patches before they spread
A small thistle patch today is a major infestation next year. Field crews walk transects and miss what's between them. Wall-to-wall drone mapping finds every patch while treatment is still easy and cheap.
Prove the trajectory, not just a snapshot
Many regulatory guidelines accept variance if you show a positive trend. Repeatable drone mapping demonstrates that invasive cover is decreasing year over year — consistent spatial data makes that case.
Get involved
Tell us about your site and we'll figure out the best way to work together. Training partners near Calgary fly for free.
Three ways to work with us this season
Free — Calgary region
Training partner
We need diverse sites with invasive infestations to train our AI models. If you have land within ~150 km of Calgary, we'll fly it at no cost. You get early access to mapping results and the chance to act on invasives this season.
Cost-sharing — Northern AB / BC
Pilot project
If you need to know where invasives are on your operational sites, we can fly and map a few priority locations. You get spatial data that field surveys can't provide — actual maps of invasive distribution to plan your treatment campaign. You cover data acquisition costs for northern sites; we keep the service fee affordable.
Full service — 2026 / 2027
Full-scale assessment
Once our models are validated, we can map invasive species at any scale. We collect data during the 2026 field season and deliver production-grade assessments starting winter 2026/2027. Deep learning makes it repeatable and scalable.
How We Map Invasives
60 m
Site mapping
Full-coverage orthomosaic. The base layer for wall-to-wall classification.
30 m
Detail
Higher resolution for clearer species-level signatures.
5 m
Ground Truth
Ultra-low sampling. Individual plants visible. ~20 plots per hectare.
Ground
Confirmation
Ground photos to confirm species ID and validate our maps.
Already delivering drone + AI solutions for vegetation recovery
CENOVUS · PETRONAS · ConocoPhillips · Chipewyan Prairie First Nation · Mikisew Cree First Nation
Spun out of the University of Calgary's BERA Project · 10+ years of boreal ecosystem research
info@falconandswift.ca · falconandswift.ca · Calgary, AB