Aglantis

Partnership at a glance

• Smart-farming company Aglantis partnered with La Trobe University to revolutionise irrigation practices, combining industry knowledge with Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.
• The system uses sensors and an AI-powered digital twin to automate irrigation, saving water, electricity, and labour, and is all controlled remotely via a cloud-based interface.
• By reducing overwatering and farm runoff, the system helps protect the Great Barrier Reef from pollutants like fertilisers and pesticides.
• With the first version already on the market, plans are underway for a fully automated, dynamic system to further enhance sustainability and efficiency.

Case study

La Trobe University's Professor Wei Xiang was overseas when he answered a call that would spark an innovative partnership.

“I was ordering food in a New York City restaurant when an unknown number popped up,” he recalls. “It was lucky I picked up.”

On the line was Luke Malan, managing director of Aglantis, a smart-farming company in Townsville, Queensland. Mr Malan needed a university partner with expertise in Internet of Things (IoT) engineering and, as Chair, Cisco - La Trobe Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things, Prof Xiang was the perfect fit.

Despite the different time zones and continents, the two connected, launching a collaboration that’s transforming Australian irrigation practices while also safeguarding the Great Barrier Reef.

An irrigation revolution

Traditional irrigation systems operate on fixed schedules, often wasting water and causing runoff. Aglantis’s new system changes this with IoT-enabled sensors that monitor environmental factors, like soil moisture, temperature, and sunlight, in real time. These sensors feed data into an AI-powered ‘digital twin’ – a virtual model of the farm’s irrigation system.

“The concept is fundamentally simple,” Mr Malan explains. “The system turns on a pump, opens a valve, and combines that with sensor data to automate the process, saving water and electricity.”

Unlike older systems, Aglantis’s equipment is compact and efficient. Each lightweight unit integrates a solar panel, sensors, an antenna, actuators, and a battery, all mounted on a retractable pole.

Farmers control the system remotely through a cloud-based interface, directing water precisely where needed. “It’s intuitive and gives farmers confidence,” Prof Xiang says. “They can see exactly where and when water is applied on their farm, from anywhere in the world.”

Automating irrigation goes beyond optimising farm operations – it revolutionises water efficiency, ensuring every drop is used where it matters most. Precise water management helps reduce the risk of excess water carrying nutrients into waterways. Protecting the Great Barrier Reef is a shared responsibility, and Mr Malan has been collaborating with sugarcane farmers for more than a decade to champion sustainable practices.

“Better water management and automation means healthier waterways and a thriving reef,” Mr Malan says.

“Farmers can rest easy, knowing they no longer need to wake at 2am to shut off the water or worry about overwatering their crops or losing valuable water to runoff or deep drainage. This system makes sustainability both practical and achievable.”

A complementary partnership

Mr Malan credits La Trobe’s resources and expertise for the project’s rapid progress.

“The intellectual property terms were excellent, and the engineers we worked with were brilliant,” he says. “One specialises in IoT and electrical engineering, the other in AI-driven mechanical systems. They nailed both hardware and software.”

Prof Xiang says Mr Malan’s deep industry knowledge made collaborating easy. “Luke understands farmers’ needs and knows the market,” he says. “At La Trobe, we provided cutting-edge research and development facilities and technical expertise. It’s quite complementary.”

The first version of the system launched in December 2024, allowing farmers to remotely control irrigation across specific blocks of their land – the first time such a system has been commercialised in Australia. The next phase aims to be fully dynamic, integrating more data to prioritise irrigation sequences automatically.

“This isn’t just remote control; it’s a smart, adaptive solution,” Mr Malan says. “The ultimate goal is full automation, where farmers save time, money, and resources while helping the environment.”

For both Prof Xiang and Mr Malan, this is just the beginning of a fruitful collaboration. “We’ve moved fast but never been rushed, and we’re excited for what’s next,” Mr Malan says.

Visit Aglantis

For general industry engagement enquiries, please reach out to industry.engagement@latrobe.edu.au

Pictured, from left: Andrew Castelanelli operating Aglantis Smart Irrigation system with Barry Cross Aglantis Regional Manager. Photo credit: Aglantis.