About the project
Agricultural fields are sprayed with agrochemicals and pesticides every year. Because of this, bees die en masse in the apiaries of the Altai Territory and other regions of Russia, and beekeepers suffer great losses. The application notifies beekeepers in advance about scheduled chemical processes in their region so that they can transfer the apiary to a safe place and save their bees.
Task
We needed to create an app for iOS and Android devices that determines the location of the beekeeper’s apiary and shows which nearby fields will be processed in the near future.
First, we drafted a detailed technical plan, then we made prototypes, drew designs, and wrote the code.
First, we drafted a detailed technical plan, then we made prototypes, drew designs, and wrote the code.
We made an application together with colleagues who collect and deliver data on agricultural facilities. We had to integrate the application into the information system, which stores data on the chemical processing of farmland.
Alexander Khrushchev
WINFOX CTO
Decision
At first, we used the classical approach: we developed the terms of reference, agreed with all project participants, and began to work on this document. But towards the end of the project, we realized that there are many subtleties in the work of beekeepers and regulatory bodies that we did not know about. For example, beekeepers need to register their apiaries and get a veterinary certificate. We also had to keep in mind working conditions and when to update information on treatments.
We had to coordinate each step with fellow data providers, and we deviated quite a bit from the original design documentation. But as a result, they made an application that maximally solves the tasks of users.
Bohdan Melnik
WINFOX Project Manager
Beekeepers often work in areas where cellular communications and the Internet are poor. With this in mind, we made an application that works offline: the service caches the data that the user enters, and when connected to the Internet, it syncs it with the server.
Application main screens
Profile
Here is the basic information about the user. To edit data or exit the application, click on the three dots in the upper corner.
Apiaries
The current status is displayed next to each apiary so that beekeepers can quickly understand if the bees are in danger. From this screen, users can quickly add a new apiary by clicking on the button in the bottom corner.
Main screen
The main screen shows the status of the apiaries. If they are safe, a green icon is displayed. If the apiaries are in danger, the color changes to red.
Map
The map shows which areas will be treated with agrochemicals and pesticides. The user’s apiaries are displayed via icons so that they can see whether processing affects the apiary.
Messages
Here users can find all the important notifications about the state of their apiaries. Next to each apiary is a processing class. It is highlighted in red and immediately catches the user’s attention.
Application Features
Quick Authorization
To enter the application, just type in the phone number and the authorization code will be sent to the user.
Geolocationing
To start using the application, users must specify the coordinates of the apiary. They can select a point on the map or use their current location.
Adding an apiary
To add an apiary, users need to specify its name, select the breed of bees from the drop-down list, and enter the “bee passport” number from the veterinarian.
Processing Information
By clicking on the apiary icon on the map, users can see all the information about the treatments that threaten their bees. The pop-up window indicates the class of treatment, substances, date, and radius of the chemicals.
Easy navigation
Users can find and click on the icons at the bottom of the screen, which makes it easy to navigate and toggle between pages.
Push notifications
The application will send a push notification if the apiary is near an area that will soon be processed with agrochemicals.
User Feedback
The user can write their suggestions to improve the application by clicking the button on the top of the screen. Their ideas will be sent directly to the developers.
Recover Password
If the user has forgotten the password, they will need to enter their phone number. After they receive and enter the verification code, they can create a new password.
The Results
Beekeepers now have an application that notifies them in advance about future chemical treatments that are harmful to their bees. The service shows data on all of the user’s apiaries and, in a single interface, users can see the “big picture” and carefully watch all of their sites.
Now,apiary owners can save their business from losses by temporarily moving their beehives to a safe place.
Now,apiary owners can save their business from losses by temporarily moving their beehives to a safe place.
A large team from various organizations worked on the application, and communication options were severely limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the location of the participants. But despite this, we managed to establish a synchronized work schedule and create a useful service.
Alexander Khrushchev
CTO of WINFOX
Project
team
team
Project Manager
Bohdan Melnik
Developers
Dmitry Rosenblum
Nikolay Eskov
Nikolay Eskov
Technical Director
Sasha Khrushchev
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