Dr. Surantha Salgadoe is an internationally recognized researcher and academic specializing in precision agriculture, crop remote sensing, artificial intelligence, UAV technologies, plant pathology, and satellite-based agricultural monitoring. As a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Agriculture and Plantation Management, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, he has dedicated his career to advancing data-driven agriculture through geospatial technologies, machine learning, and Earth observation.
At WHY National Digital Eco-System, he serves as the Chief Precision Agriculture & Remote Sensing Advisor, providing strategic leadership for smart agriculture, AI-powered crop intelligence, satellite analytics, drone technologies, and precision farming solutions. His expertise supports the development of innovative geospatial platforms that enhance crop productivity, environmental sustainability, and evidence-based agricultural decision-making.
Areas of Expertise
- Precision Agriculture
- Crop Remote Sensing
- Satellite & UAV Analytics
- Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning
- Plant Pathology
- Drone-based Crop Monitoring
- Google Earth Engine, QGIS & ArcGIS
- Image Processing & Computer Vision
- Precision Farming
- Smart Agriculture Research
Professional Highlights
- Senior Lecturer, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka
- PhD in Crop Remote Sensing, University of New England, Australia
- Academic Coordinator – Diploma in Modern Agrotechnology
- Certified Drone Pilot (Australia)
- Former eResearch Analyst, Intersect Australia
- Editor-in-Chief, NEWSFLASH, Wayamba University
- Recipient of the Most Outstanding Researcher Award (2019)
- Supervisor of PhD, MPhil and undergraduate research projects
- Lead Keynote Speaker at the International Conference of Sustainable Agriculture and Food Safety, India by Parul University, Gujarat, India (2026)
- Globally recognized resource person in modern agriculture technologies.
- Country Representative for International Society for Precision Agriculture (ISPA) (since 2025).
- Member of International Society of Precision Agriculture (ISPA)
- International scientific journal reviewer
- Industrial consultant for advanced agriculture/ digital agriculture and modern agriculture
- Founded the Horticulture Industries Stakeholders Forum (HIS Forum)
- Founder of AGCEYLON HUB
- National Award winner, First Place for Excellence in Agricultural Research 2023 & 2025 by SLCARP
- Mentor of GRSS SL Chapter, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, 2025
- SUSRED Award, 2024 (Support Scheme for Supervision of Research Degrees) by National Science Foundation (2025)
Key Contributions to WHY
- Strategic guidance for WHY Smart Agriculture initiatives
- AI-powered crop health monitoring
- Satellite and drone analytics for precision farming
- Development of remote sensing workflows
- Research collaboration and innovation
- Capacity building in geospatial technologies and digital agriculture