Hiphen acquires Aurea’s drone unit to boost agri-tech edge

Hiphen, a company specializing in remote sensing, computer vision, and artificial intelligence for agriculture, has acquired the drone phenotyping activities of Aurea Imaging. The acquisition is intended to enhance Hiphen’s capacity to provide image analytics and predictive tools for crop science organizations and agricultural producers worldwide.

Founded in 2014 and based in Avignon, France, Hiphen develops image analysis solutions for seed breeders, product developers, food processors, vertical farms, and crop researchers. The company previously expanded into the U.S. market in 2023 by acquiring California-based SlantRange. The latest acquisition strengthens Hiphen’s presence in Europe, where digital plant phenotyping and agricultural research are well-established.

Hiphen’s CEO, Dr. Alexis Comar, noted that the market for drone-based phenotyping in plant breeding and product development is evolving quickly. He stated that incorporating Aurea’s expertise would help reduce costs, speed up the development of traits and algorithms, and provide more timely insights to improve decision-making during the growing season.

For Aurea Imaging, the divestment allows a focus on its orchard management solutions for fruit growers. The company’s TreeScout system combines hardware and software to deliver tree-level insights aimed at improving orchard productivity.

As part of the agreement, Aurea’s clients will migrate to Hiphen’s Cloverfield Data Platform under the PhenoScale product line. This transition is designed to maintain research continuity and facilitate advanced crop analysis. Both companies expressed confidence that the acquisition would drive the development of tools to better analyze plant growth in relation to genetics, management practices, and environmental factors.