Frequently Asked Questions

We offer four service lines: the Forage Intelligence Report, Treatment ROI Monitoring, the Conservation Documentation Package, and the Advisor & Cooperative Platform. They share one engine and one growing calibration dataset. See the Services page for full descriptions.

Defend the Core is a Working Lands for Wildlife (WLFW) and USDA initiative focused on protecting intact sagebrush and grassland from invasive annual grass encroachment. Zubr provides the mapping and documentation that supports clients participating in these programs, including core rangeland delineation, invasive encroachment monitoring, and vulnerability assessments. We are a data and analysis service provider supporting program participants, not a program operator.

The NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides cost-share funding for conservation practices on agricultural and rangeland. Zubr provides baseline invasive species assessments, monitoring and evaluation reports, and documentation that support EQIP applications and practice verification. If you are working through an EQIP application, we can help with the data and reporting side of the process.

We start with a scoping conversation to define species targets, coverage area, flight timing, and deliverable formats. We then conduct hyperspectral UAV surveys and optionally integrate satellite data for broader context. Outputs are GIS-compatible files, maps, and reports delivered on a timeline aligned with your program or management needs.

Yes, it is our core service. Our Forage Intelligence Report maps forage quality (crude protein, fiber/NDF, and silica), biomass, and grazing capacity across a ranch, allotment, or treatment area, using hyperspectral remote sensing calibrated to lab chemistry. Outputs are delivered as decision-ready maps and reports, not raw scans.

Our founding use case is ventenata, and our approach extends to co-occurring dominant and native rangeland grasses. Because our models are built on a community-stratified calibration dataset, we can add new target species with a dataset-collection phase specific to your region, and the calibration library grows with every engagement.

No. Zubr is a service, not a device company. Customer discovery through NSF I-Corps showed strong demand for forage-quality and invasive-plant mapping services rather than another field gadget, so we sell finished rangeland reports and decision tools. Our R&D does include a research pathway toward a low-cost UAV sensor, but that is a future prototype, not a product you buy today.

We start with a scoping conversation to define deliverables, timeline, and success criteria. Most engagements run 4–16 weeks depending on data collection logistics and program deadlines. We provide a clear statement of work before any contract is signed. Many clients engage us on a recurring basis for monitoring or program reporting work.

You own your data. All maps, reports, and scan results remain yours. We do not use client data for any purpose outside the agreed engagement without explicit consent.

We primarily serve the Western U.S. and Northern Great Plains. For satellite analysis and model development work, we can engage remotely. Contact us to discuss your geography.

All services are scoped and priced per engagement based on geography, species targets, data type, program requirements, and timeline. We do not publish standard rate cards. Every engagement starts with a scoping conversation. See the Pricing page for an overview of service categories.

We are an early-stage company actively building our program partner network. If you are an NRCS office, weed district, land trust, conservation organization, or agency looking for a data services partner for rangeland mapping or invasive species work, we would like to talk.