Data Science
Data Science, Image Analysis & Forecasting for South African Businesses
How much of a region is built up? Where do the roads and roof lines run? What will the temperature be an hour from now? We turn aerial imagery, sensor logs and complex datasets into answers, and we tell you exactly where the numbers stop being reliable.
What We Can Do for You
Image Analysis & Land-Cover Mapping
Models that classify and measure what's in satellite, drone or aerial photos, from built-up versus natural land to roads, roof outlines and coastlines.
Fairly Tested Machine Learning
Machine-learning models tested on data they haven't seen, so the accuracy you're shown is the accuracy you'll get in real use.
Time-Series Forecasting
Analysis and forecasting for sensor, weather or operational data, checked against simple baselines so you know the model is actually adding value.
Dimension Reduction & Visualisation
Data with hundreds of measurements per item is hard to explore. We use techniques like PCA and UMAP to turn it into maps you can look at.
Predictive Modelling
Forecast sales, demand, churn or risk with statistical and machine learning models trained on your historical data.
Clear, Honest Reports
Reports that explain what the numbers mean and where they stop being reliable, written for decision-makers, not just data scientists.
Project Spotlight
Turning Images and Sensor Data into Answers
In one project we answered three questions using aerial imagery and two years of hourly readings from four weather stations across South Africa.
98%
of built-up land correctly flagged on unseen images
1%
of natural land wrongly flagged
2 yrs
of hourly weather station readings
4
weather stations across South Africa
Mapping Land Use from Aerial Imagery
We built a model that tells built-up land apart from natural land, then scanned it across whole images to measure how much of each area is developed. We also used edge detection to trace roads, roof outlines and coastlines, and compared two methods of doing it.
Making Complex Data Readable
We used dimension reduction (PCA and UMAP) to turn data with hundreds of measurements per item into maps you can look at, and tested how many dimensions are needed to keep the real structure instead of guessing.
Forecasting from Time Series
We modelled hourly temperatures at each station, measured how the stations affect one another, and built hour-ahead forecasts checked against simple baselines. Along the way we found that one preprocessing step was letting future data leak into the model, which made results look better than they would be in real use. We reported that problem instead of publishing the flattering number.
Common Use Cases
Built for South African SMEs across industries, with real business problems to solve.
- //Land-cover and development mapping from imagery
- //Sensor and weather forecasting
- //Demand and inventory forecasting
- //Customer churn prediction
- //Anomaly detection in operational data
- //Making sense of large, high-dimensional datasets
Start with one problem
Every business runs differently, so each setup is built around your team, your processes and your systems. Book a free 30-minute consultation. It's a straight conversation about what you need, with no obligation.
Book a Free ConsultationFrequently Asked Questions
How much data do we need before data science is useful?
It depends on the problem, but most useful models can be built with 1–3 years of historical business data. We assess your data during discovery and are honest about what's achievable. Sometimes simpler statistical methods outperform complex models on smaller datasets.
What's the difference between data science and data analysis?
Data analysis answers 'what happened and why?' by looking back at historical data. Data science answers 'what will happen?' by using statistical models and machine learning to make forward-looking predictions and automate decisions.
How do we know the model's results are real?
We test every model on data it hasn't seen and compare it against simple baselines. We also check for data leakage, where information from the future sneaks into training and inflates results. If we find a problem, we tell you, even when it makes the numbers look worse.
Can you work with drone or satellite images?
Yes. We build image analysis and land-cover mapping models for satellite, drone and aerial photos, and we can measure things like how much of an area is developed or trace roads and roof outlines.
Let's build something worth talking about
No jargon, no hard sell. Just an honest conversation about your business and how we can help.
Book a Free Consultation