NanoSatellites launches with an NDVI dashboard. But NDVI is just the beginning - the same Sentinel-2 data can reveal much more.
New indices (coming in the next few weeks)
Alongside NDVI, we’re adding two more indices that together paint a fuller picture:
- NDWI (Normalized Difference Water Index) - built from green and near-infrared bands. It reveals water stress. In summer, when drought sets in, NDWI drops earlier than NDVI - so you can react before the leaves start to wilt
- NDMI (Normalized Difference Moisture Index) - built from SWIR bands. It measures leaf moisture. Combined with NDWI, it helps distinguish soil drought from problems with water uptake
We’re also planning True Color - simply a satellite image in natural colors. Handy for year-over-year visual comparisons.
Change alerts
A key planned feature: automatic comparison of two consecutive readings. If NDVI on a parcel drops by more than a set threshold (e.g. 0.1 within a week), the system will send an SMS alert or an in-app notification. This works much like the frost alerts in VineyardElf.
Integration with VineyardElf
Satellite data becomes far more meaningful when combined with ground-level data:
- NDVI drop + low temperature from a sensor = probable frost damage
- NDWI drop + no rainfall from Ecowitt = time to irrigate
- a disease pattern on NDVI + confirmation from leaf analysis = a targeted spray
Ultimately, the NanoSatellites dashboard will become a widget in the main VineyardElf panel.
Multi-year comparisons
The Sentinel-2 archive reaches back to 2017. We’re planning a tool to compare the same period across different years - e.g. “how did the vineyard look in May 2024 vs 2025?”. Useful for assessing the impact of agronomic changes.
Thermal imaging
Sentinel-3 and Landsat carry thermal bands. The resolution is coarser (100-1000 m), but good enough to detect warm and cold zones across the vineyard. Combined with NDVI, it lets you map heat-stress zones in summer.