Dendra Systems

Dendra Systems (formerly BioCarbon Engineering) is a UK-based company that offers an ecosystem management platform known as “RestorationOS” to restore biodiverse ecosystems. It combines advanced data science, machine learning, and drone automation with on-ground insights from its team of ecologists. As of September 2021, Dendra Systems had more than 40 projects in 11 countries, with most of its operations based in Australia.

As part of RestorationOS, the company offers three main solutions: Aerial seeding, ecosystem insights, and environmental management. Drones employed for aerial seeding are stated to be 11x faster and 3x cheaper than traditional reforestation methods. Each drone can reportedly carry over 50 species at a time, seed up to 60 hectares per day, and carry a 700 kg daily payload. These drones also record the exact planting location for future restoration monitoring.

Dendra monitors ecosystems using AI and ultra-high-resolution imagery from its drones, offering insights on invasive species, slopes, biodiversity, fauna, and tree growth. Through its machine-learning platform, Dendra claims to have achieved 75% greater species-level accuracy than traditional methods.

Dendra also develops environmental management suites for environmental managers, enabling planning, coordination, and outcome monitoring. Its first suite, “The Weed Manager,” streamlines weed management at the individual species level, covering inspection, assessment, eradication, and reporting.

Key customers and partnerships

In April 2021, Dendra partnered with NatureMetrics, a provider of biodiversity monitoring data, and SYSTEMIQ, a company supporting early-stage technology ventures, to develop “BIOSTREAM,” a biodiversity sampling technology for remote environmental assessments and monitoring.

Key customers of Dendra’s solutions include natural resource companies, such as Glencore BHP, Yancoal, and Rio Tinto.