Inspection of Plant Pathogens by using Drones

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Manishankar ◽  
S. Harish ◽  
S. Lakshmanan ◽  
L.N. Selvan ◽  
R. Vinodhan
Keyword(s):  
Precision Agriculture ◽  
Plant Pathogens ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Resource Optimization ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Cost System ◽  
Aerial Systems ◽  
Constant Growth ◽  
Crop Health

The use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) in precision agriculture applications has increased in the last three years. This is mainly due to the UAS capability to provide the farmers with important information related to crop health for a better input management. This allows the constant growth resource optimization, an underlying issue for farmers. Furthermore, UAS are relatively cheap in comparison with manned aircraft or satellite-based systems, they are also small and easy to use. All these facts promote the growing popularization of agriculture UAS. In this paper an easy-to-implement and low-cost system is proposed for basic agriculture tasks, such as NDVI computation and crop imagery collection.

scholarly journals Accuracy of 3D Landscape Reconstruction without Ground Control Points Using Different UAS Platforms

Drones ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret Kalacska ◽  
Oliver Lucanus ◽  
J. Pablo Arroyo-Mora ◽  
Étienne Laliberté ◽  
Kathryn Elmer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
Ground Control ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Control Points ◽  
Model Errors ◽  
Positional Accuracy ◽  
Ground Control Points ◽  
Digital Elevation ◽  
High Level ◽  
Aerial Systems

The rapid increase of low-cost consumer-grade to enterprise-level unmanned aerial systems (UASs) has resulted in the exponential use of these systems in many applications. Structure from motion with multiview stereo (SfM-MVS) photogrammetry is now the baseline for the development of orthoimages and 3D surfaces (e.g., digital elevation models). The horizontal and vertical positional accuracies (x, y and z) of these products in general, rely heavily on the use of ground control points (GCPs). However, for many applications, the use of GCPs is not possible. Here we tested 14 UASs to assess the positional and within-model accuracy of SfM-MVS reconstructions of low-relief landscapes without GCPs ranging from consumer to enterprise-grade vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) platforms. We found that high positional accuracy is not necessarily related to the platform cost or grade, rather the most important aspect is the use of post-processing kinetic (PPK) or real-time kinetic (RTK) solutions for geotagging the photographs. SfM-MVS products generated from UAS with onboard geotagging, regardless of grade, results in greater positional accuracies and lower within-model errors. We conclude that where repeatability and adherence to a high level of accuracy are needed, only RTK and PPK systems should be used without GCPs.

scholarly journals A Framework for Multiple Ground Target Finding and Inspection Using a Multirotor UAS

Sensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ajmal Hinas ◽  
Roshan Ragel ◽  
Jonathan Roberts ◽  
Felipe Gonzalez
Keyword(s):  
Target Detection ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Target Position ◽  
Position Estimation ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Modular Software ◽  
Ground Target ◽  
High Level ◽  
Aerial Systems

Small unmanned aerial systems (UASs) now have advanced waypoint-based navigation capabilities, which enable them to collect surveillance, wildlife ecology and air quality data in new ways. The ability to remotely sense and find a set of targets and descend and hover close to each target for an action is desirable in many applications, including inspection, search and rescue and spot spraying in agriculture. This paper proposes a robust framework for vision-based ground target finding and action using the high-level decision-making approach of Observe, Orient, Decide and Act (OODA). The proposed framework was implemented as a modular software system using the robotic operating system (ROS). The framework can be effectively deployed in different applications where single or multiple target detection and action is needed. The accuracy and precision of camera-based target position estimation from a low-cost UAS is not adequate for the task due to errors and uncertainties in low-cost sensors, sensor drift and target detection errors. External disturbances such as wind also pose further challenges. The implemented framework was tested using two different test cases. Overall, the results show that the proposed framework is robust to localization and target detection errors and able to perform the task.

scholarly journals Assessing the Accuracy of Digital Surface Models Derived from Optical Imagery Acquired with Unmanned Aerial Systems

Drones ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salvatore Manfreda ◽  
Petr Dvorak ◽  
Jana Mullerova ◽  
Sorin Herban ◽  
Pietro Vuono ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
3D Model ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Careful Consideration ◽  
Ground Control ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Control Points ◽  
Earthen Dam ◽  
Ground Control Points ◽  
Aerial Systems

Small unmanned aerial systems (UASs) equipped with an optical camera are a cost-effective strategy for topographic surveys. These low-cost UASs can provide useful information for three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction even if they are equipped with a low-quality navigation system. To ensure the production of high-quality topographic models, careful consideration of the flight mode and proper distribution of ground control points are required. To this end, a commercial UAS was adopted to monitor a small earthen dam using different combinations of flight configurations and by adopting a variable number of ground control points (GCPs). The results highlight that optimization of both the choice and combination of flight plans can reduce the relative error of the 3D model to within two meters without the need to include GCPs. However, the use of GCPs greatly improved the quality of the topographic survey, reducing error to the order of a few centimeters. The combined use of images extracted from two flights, one with a camera mounted at nadir and the second with a 20° angle, was found to be beneficial for increasing the overall accuracy of the 3D model and especially the vertical precision.

Detection of Conflicts Between ADS-B-Equipped Aircraft and Unmanned Aerial Systems

2020 ◽  
Vol 2674 (1) ◽  
pp. 197-204
Author(s):  
John H. Mott ◽  
Zachary A. Marshall ◽  
Mark A. Vandehey ◽  
Mike May ◽  
Darcy M. Bullock
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Federal Aviation Administration ◽  
Unmanned Aircraft ◽  
Sensor Technology ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Aircraft Flight ◽  
Flight Operations ◽  
Aerial Systems ◽  
Operational Simplicity

Versatile unmanned aerial system (UAS) platforms have grown significantly in popularity by virtue of their low cost relative to manned aircraft, high performance, and operational simplicity. While the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) currently regulates the operating altitudes, speeds, weights, pilot qualifications, and locations of drones, a lack of capacity and technology prohibits sufficient enforcement of these restrictions. To assess the frequency and severity of manned and unmanned aircraft separation incidents, and to examine the emerging sensor technology available to facilitate such assessment, flight operations in controlled airspace around Orlando Melbourne International Airport (KMLB) were monitored. One sensor system deployed at KMLB reported UAS locations, altitudes, and flight durations, while a second system reported manned aircraft positions, altitudes, and timestamps using ADS-B signals. Evaluation of flight operations data in the vicinity of KMLB revealed eight potential drone incursions over a 2-week period. Aircraft flight paths were retroactively tracked to map these unmanned and manned aerial conflicts; aircraft identification information was also researched to contextualize the incidents. The frequency and magnitude of identified events suggest the need for additional research to further explore the problem scope and potential solutions.

scholarly journals Wireless Sensor Network Synchronization for Precision Agriculture Applications

Agriculture ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandros Zervopoulos ◽  
Athanasios Tsipis ◽  
Aikaterini Georgia Alvanou ◽  
Konstantinos Bezas ◽  
Asterios Papamichail ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Precision Agriculture ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Time Correlation ◽  
Wireless Sensor ◽  
Network Synchronization ◽  
Transmission Delays ◽  
Intelligent Decision Making ◽  
Cost System ◽  
Intelligent Decision ◽  
Synchronized Measurements

The advent of Internet of Things has propelled the agricultural domain through the integration of sensory devices, capable of monitoring and wirelessly propagating information to producers; thus, they employ Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). These WSNs allow real time monitoring, enabling intelligent decision-making to maximize yields and minimize cost. Designing and deploying a WSN is a challenging and multivariate task, dependent on the considered environment. For example, a need for network synchronization arises in such networks to correlate acquired measurements. This work focuses on the design and installation of a WSN that is capable of facilitating the sensing aspects of smart and precision agriculture applications. A system is designed and implemented to address specific design requirements that are brought about by the considered environment. A simple synchronization scheme is described to provide time-correlated measurements using the sink node’s clock as reference. The proposed system was installed on an olive grove to assess its effectiveness in providing a low-cost system, capable of acquiring synchronized measurements. The obtained results indicate the system’s overall effectiveness, revealing a small but expected difference in the acquired measurements’ time correlation, caused mostly by serial transmission delays, while yielding a plethora of relevant environmental conditions.

scholarly journals FESSTVaL: Field Experiment on sub-mesoscale spatio-temporal variability in Lindenberg – the campaign 2021 an its predecessors

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cathy Hohenegger ◽  
Felix Ament ◽  
Frank Beyrich ◽  
Ivan Bastak Duran ◽  
Ulrich Löhnert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiment ◽  
Temporal Variability ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Cold Pools ◽  
Measurement Strategy ◽  
Meteorological Observatory ◽  
Spatio Temporal ◽  
Aerial Systems

<p>Measuring submesoscale variability is the core task of the field campaign FESSTVaL (Field Experiment on Sub-Mesoscale Spatio-Temporal Variability in Lindenberg).  FESSTVaL focuses on three sources of submesoscale variability: cold pools, wind gusts and boundary layer pattern. It took place in the summer months of 2021 at the Meteorological Observatory Lindenberg – Richard-Aßmann-Observatory (MOL-RAO) of the German Weather Service (DWD) near Berlin and was initiated by the Hans-Ertel-Center for Weather Research (HErZ).</p><p>In order to capture phenomena at the submesoscale (500 m – 5 km), generally not captured by conventional measurement network, a hierarchical measurement strategy is adopted. This includes wind profiling stations with a coordinated scanning strategy of several Doppler Lidars, two mobile profilers to measure thermodynamic properties and precipitation, more than 100 stations with near-surface measurements of air temperature, pressure and soil moisture, more than 20 automatic weather stations, an X-Band radar, and a number of energy balance stations. This equipment is augmented by the extensive ground-based remote sensing array at the MOL-RAO, operated by DWD and by flights operated by Unmanned Aerial Systems. Complementing to this, the benefit of a citizen-science measurement network is investigated during the campaign with “Internet-of-things” based technology and low-cost sensors built and maintained by citizens. The measurements are supplemented by high-resolution large-eddy simulations (ICON-LES).</p><p>Originally planned for the summer 2020, FESSTVaL had to be postponed to 2021 and replaced by three local individual campaigns, conducted in Bayern, Lindenberg and Hamburg in 2020. Those three test campaigns demonstrated the ability of the envisionned measurement strategy and planned instruments to capture submesoscale variability and submesoscale weather phenomean. This talk will give a brief overview on the results of these three campaigns, as a foretaste to FESSTVaL, together with some of the very first measurements taken during FESSTVaL. </p>

scholarly journals OPPORTUNITIES OF UAVS IN ORCHARD MANAGEMENT

2019 ◽  
Vol XLII-2/W13 ◽  
pp. 673-680 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Zhang ◽  
J. Valente ◽  
L. Kooistra ◽  
L. Guo ◽  
W. Wang
Keyword(s):  
Precision Agriculture ◽  
Fruit Trees ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Physiological Variables ◽  
Sensing Platform ◽  
Orchard Management ◽  
Technological Developments ◽  
General Data ◽  
Geometric Variables ◽  
Aerial Systems

<p><strong>Abstract.</strong> The growth process of fruit trees is accompanied by a large number of monitoring and management activities, such as pruning, irrigation, fertilization, spraying, and harvesting, which are labour intensive and time consuming. In the context of precision agriculture, automation and precision orchard management not only saves labour resources and increases the income of growers, but also has great significance in improving resource utilization. Recent technological developments enable Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs, also commonly referred to as Unmanned Aerial Systems, or ‘drones’) to become an efficient monitoring tool for improving orchard management, that can provide growers much more detailed and precise information about fruit crops health status, geometric variables, physiological variables etc. This paper reviews the use of UAVs in orchard management, with a focus on recent UAV applications, synthetically describing the existing situation (e.g., general data processing approaches, sensing platform and sensor uploaded). The challenges and prospects of UAVs opportunities in orchard management are also summarized.</p>

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