Patent Application
20210055417
The present subject matter relates generally to systems and methods for automating aspects of crop production and management, and, more particularly, to methods for providing automated plant height measurements using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and for generating treatment prescriptions based on the UAV-derived plant height data, as well as related crop management systems.
In order to optimize yields, the agricultural industry is heavily reliant upon agricultural data. Historically, given the limited amount of data that was available, farmers often simply assumed that fields were essentially homogeneous across their entire areas. Because of this assumption, farm management was conducted in a way in which agricultural inputs (e.g., tillage, planting, fertilizer application, herbicide application, and other working of soil and crops) were applied at uniform rates over an entire field or set of fields. Technological developments, however, now allow crop production to be optimized by learning and responding to variations in soil conditions, as well as in other properties that commonly exist within any given agricultural field. By varying the inputs applied to a field to compensate for local variations or anomalies within the field, an agricultural producer can optimize crop yield and quality by providing the amount of input needed at a specific site. An additional benefit is the reduction of potential environmental damage or degradation due to, for example, erosion, pesticides, or herbicides. This management technique has become known as precision, site-specific, prescriptive, or spatially variable farming.
Recently, advancements in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technologies have allowed UAVs to be used within certain aspects of the farming industry. For example, recent developments have been made in connection with using UAVs for the collection of field data. However, the use of UAVs in this manner is still an emerging technology area. As such, further improvements and refinements are necessary to allow for the integration of UAVs into modem crop management practices, particularly in relation to the collection and use of field data.
Accordingly, improved systems and methods for collecting and using aerial-based field data, including the use of UAVs in capturing such data, would be welcomed in the technology. For instance, systems and methods for providing automated plant height measurements using aerial-based data collected by UAVs and/or for using such data for crop management purposes would be welcomed in the technology.
Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.
In one aspect, the present subject matter is directed to a method for generating agricultural treatment prescriptions. The method includes generating, with a computing device, a pre-emergence field contour map for a field based on pre-emergence aerial data collected for the field, the pre-emergence field contour map being indicative of a ground surface topology of the field while the field is in a pre-emergence condition. The method also includes generating, with the computing device, a post-emergence field contour map for the field based on post-emergence aerial data collected for the field, the post-emergence field contour map being indicative of a field topology of the field following emergence of plants within the field. In addition, the method includes identifying, with the computing device, individual plant heights of the plants located within one or more portions of the field based at least in part on a comparison between the pre-emergence field contour map and the post-emergence field contour map, and determining, with the computing device, a treatment prescription for applying one or more agricultural products to the field based at least in part on the individual plant heights identified within the one or more portions of the field.
In another aspect, the present subject matter is directed to a crop management system. The system includes one or more unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with a sensor configured to capture aerial-based topology data associated with a field. The UAV(s) is configured to be flown across the field at differing times to allow the sensor to collect both pre-emergence topology data and post-emergence topology data for the field. The system also includes a controller configured to be communicatively coupled to the sensor. The controller is configured to generate a pre-emergence field contour map for the field based on the pre-emergence topology data received from the sensor, the pre-emergence field contour map being indicative of a ground surface topology of the field while the field is in a pre-emergence condition. The controller is also configured to generate a post-emergence field contour snap for the field based on post-emergence topology data received from the sensor, the post-emergence field contour map being indicative of a field topology of the field following emergence of plants within the field. In addition, the controller is configured to identify individual plant heights of the plants located within one or more portions of the field based at least in part on a comparison between the pre-emergence field contour map and the post-emergence field contour map the plant height profile, and determine a treatment prescription for applying one or more agricultural products to the field based at least in part on the individual plant heights identified within the one or more portions of the field.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a. part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, in which:
Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
In general, the present subject matter is directed to methods for providing automated plant height measurements using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and for generating treatment prescriptions based on the UAV-derived plant height data, as well as related crop management systems. Specifically, in several embodiments, a sensor-equipped UAV may be flown across a field to collect topology data at various different times before and after the emergence of plants. For instance, the UAV may make one or more pre-emergence passes across the field to collect pre-emergence topology data associated with the ground surface topology of the field prior to the emergence of plants. Thereafter, the UAV may make numerous post-emergence passes across the field to collect post-emergence topology data associated with the field topology following the emergence of plants within the field. For instance, the post-emergence passes may be scheduled in a periodic manner (e.g., every 10 days, 20 days, 30 days, etc.) such that field topology data is collected at various different times across the growth cycle of the plants.
The pre-emergence and post-emergence data collected by the sensor-equipped UAV may then be analyzed to determine the height profile of the entire field. For instance, the ground surface topology represented by the pre-emergence data may be used as a baseline topology reference for assessing the post-emergence topology data. Specifically, the ground surface topology may be subtracted from the field topology represented by the post-emergence data to determine a plant height profile across the field. Thereafter, by knowing the location of each plant within the field (e.g., based on a crop grid or planting map), the height of each individual plant may be determined by overlaying or identifying the plant locations within the plant height profile.
Moreover, in accordance with aspects of the present subject matter, a treatment prescription may be generated that provides for the localized treatment of specific areas within the field with one or more agricultural products (e.g., fertilizer, herbicides, pesticides, etc.) based on the plant height data. Specifically, in several embodiments, the treatment prescription may specify that an agricultural product(s) only be applied to areas within the field that exhibit lower plant heights. Alternatively, the treatment prescription may specify that varying amounts of an agricultural product(s) be applied to the field based on the plant height profile, with largest amount of the agricultural product(s) being applied to the areas with lower plant heights.
Referring now to the drawings,
As will be described below, the pre-emergence and post-emergence data collected by the sensor(s) 104 may be used to generate corresponding pre-emergence and post-emergence field contour maps, respectively, that are indicative of the topology of the field F in such differing conditions. In such an embodiment, the pre-emergence field contour map may be used a reference or baseline topology for determining the height profile of the plants across the field F at various different times during the growth cycle of the plants. For instance, the UAV(s) 102 may be periodically flown across the field F (e.g., every 10 to 30 days) to allow one or more sets of post-emergence aerial data to be collected at numerous different times along the growth cycle of the plants, thereby allowing a corresponding number of post-emergence field contour maps to be generated. The field topology represented by each post-emergence field contour map may then be compared to the ground surface topology represented by the pre-emergence field contour map to calculate a height profile of the plants across the field F at each corresponding point along the growth cycle. Each height profile may, in turn, be analyzed with an associated crop grid or planting map for the field F (e.g., geo-referenced planting data providing the location of each plant with the field F) to determine the independent plant height of each plant with the field F. Such plant-specific height data may then be used to generate localized treatment prescriptions for applying one or more agricultural products to the field F.
As will be described in greater detail below, in addition to the sensor(s) 104, the UAV(s) 102 may also support one or more additional components, such as an on-board computing device or controller 106. In general, the UAV controller 106 may be configured to control the operation of the UAV(s) 102, such as by controlling the propulsion system (not shown) of the UAV(s) 102 to cause the UAV(s) 102 to be moved relative to the field F. For instance, in one embodiment, the UAV controller 106 may be configured to receive flight plan data associated with a proposed flight plan for the UAV(s) 102. such as a flight plan selected such that the UAV(s) 102 makes one or more passes across the field in a manner that allows the sensor(s) 104 to capture aerial-based topology data across the entire field F (or at least across the portion of the field F that will he planted or that has already been planted). Based on such data, the UAV controller 106 may automatically control the operation of the UAV(s) 102 such that the UAV(s) 102 is flown across the field F according to the proposed flight plan to allow the desired data to be collected by the sensor(s) 104.
It should be appreciated that the UAV(s) 102 may generally correspond to any suitable aerial vehicle capable of unmanned flight, such as any UAV capable of controlled vertical, or nearly vertical, takeoffs and landings. For instance, in the illustrated embodiment, the UAV(s) 102 corresponds to a quadcopter. However, in other embodiments, the UAV(s) 102 may correspond to any other multi-rotor aerial vehicle, such as a tricopter, hexacopter, or octocopter. In still further embodiments, the UAV(s) 102 may be a single-rotor helicopter, or a fixed wing, hybrid vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.
Moreover, in certain embodiments, the disclosed system 100 may also include one or more agricultural vehicles 108 configured to perform a treatment operation during which one or more agricultural products (e.g., fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, and/or the like) are applied to the field. For instance, the agricultural vehicle(s) 108 may correspond to an agricultural sprayer, such as a self-propelled sprayer or a towed sprayer. Alternatively, the vehicle(s) 108 may correspond to any other suitable vehicle configured to apply or deliver an agricultural product(s) to the field, such as a granular fertilizer applicator, etc. As indicated above, the system 100 may allow for a localized treatment prescription(s) to be generated based on the plant height data collected by the UAV(s) 102. In such instances, during the performance of a treatment operation, the agricultural vehicle(s) 108 may, for example, be controlled to allow an agricultural product(s) to be applied to specific areas within the field based on the requirements of the localized treatment prescription(s)
Additionally, as shown in
It should be appreciated that the remote controller(s) 110 may correspond to a stand-alone component or may be incorporated into or form part of a separate component or assembly of components. For example, in one embodiment, the remote controller(s) 110 may form part of a base station 112. In such an embodiment, the base station 112 may be disposed at a fixed location, such as a farm building or central control center, which may be proximal or remote to the field F, or the base station 112 may be portable, such as by being transportable to a location within or near the field F. In addition to the base station 112 (or an alternative thereto), the remote controller(s) 110 may form part of an agricultural vehicle, such as the agricultural vehicle 108 described above (e.g., a sprayer, granular fertilizer applicator, etc.). For instance, the remote controller(s) 110 may correspond to a vehicle controller provided in operative association with the agricultural vehicle 108 and/or an implement controller provided in operative association with a corresponding implement of the vehicle 108. In other embodiments, the remote controller(s) 110 may correspond to or form part of a remote cloud-based computing system 114. For instance, as shown in
Referring now to
As shown, the system 100 may include one or more UAVs, such as the UAV 102 described above with reference to
Additionally, as indicated above, the UAV may also include a controller 106. In general, the UAV controller 106 may correspond to any suitable processor-based device(s), such as a computing device or any combination of computing devices. Thus, in several embodiments, the UAV controller 106 may include one or more processor(s) 120 and associated memory device(s) 122 configured to perform a variety of computer-implemented functions. As used herein, the term “processor” refers not only to integrated circuits referred to in the art as being included in a computer, but also refers to a controller, a microcontroller, a microcomputer, a programmable logic controller (PLC), an application specific integrated circuit, and other programmable circuits. Additionally, the memory device(s) 122 of the UAV controller 106 may generally comprise memory element(s) including, but not limited to, computer readable medium (e.g., random access memory (RAM)), computer readable non-volatile medium (e.g., a flash memory), a compact disc-read only memory (CD-ROM), a magneto-optical disk (MOD), a digital versatile disc (DVD) and/or other suitable memory elements. Such memory device(s) 122 may generally be configured to store suitable computer-readable instructions that, when implemented by the processor(s) 120, configure the UAV controller 106 to perform various computer-implemented functions. It should be appreciated that the UAV controller 106 may also include various other suitable components, such as a communications circuit or module, a network interface, one or more input/output channels, a data/control bus and/or the like.
In several embodiments, the UAV controller 106 may be configured to automatically control the operation of a propulsion system 124 of the UAV 102. For instance, as indicated above, the UAV controller 106 may be configured to automatically control the propulsion system 124 in a manner that allows the UAV 102 to be flown across a field according to a predetermined or desired flight plan. In this regard, the propulsion system 124 may include any suitable components that allow for the trajectory, speed, and/or altitude of the UAV 102 to be regulated, such as one or more power sources (e.g., one or more batteries), one or more drive sources (e.g., one or more motors and/or engines), and one or more lift/steering sources (e.g., propellers, blades, wings, rotors, and/or the like).
Additionally, as shown in
It should be appreciated that the UAV 102 may also include any other suitable components. For instance, in addition to the topology sensor(s) 104, the UAV 102 may also include various other sensors 128, such as one or more inertial measurement units for monitoring the orientation of the UAV 102 and/or one or more altitude sensors for monitoring the position of the UAV 102 relative to the ground. Moreover, the UAV 102 may include a communications device(s) 130 to allow the UAV controller 106 to be communicatively coupled to one or more other system components. The communications device 130 may, for example, be configured as a wireless communications device (e.g., an antenna or transceiver) to allow for the transmission of wireless communications between the UAV controller 106 and one or more other remote system components.
As shown in
Similar to the UAV controller 106, the remote controller(s) 110 may be configured as any suitable processor-based device(s), such as a computing device or any combination of computing devices. As such, the remote controller(s) 110 may include one or more processor(s) 140 and associated memory device(s) 142 configured to perform a variety of computer-implemented functions. The memory device(s) 142 may generally be configured to store suitable computer-readable instructions that, when implemented by the processor(s) 140, configure the remote controller(s) 110 to perform various computer-implemented functions. It should be appreciated that the remote controller(s) 110 may also include various other suitable components, such as a communications circuit or module, a network interface, one or more input/output channels, a data/control bus and/or the like.
In one embodiment, the memory 142 of the remote controller(s) 110 may include one or more databases for storing crop management information. For instance, as shown in
Additionally, as shown in
It should be appreciated that, as used herein, a “map” may generally correspond to any suitable dataset that correlates data to various locations within a field. Thus, for example, a map may simply correspond to a data table that correlates field contour or topology data to various locations within the field or may correspond to a more complex data structure, such as a geospatial numerical model that can be used to identify variations in the topology data and classify such variations into geographic zones or groups, which may, for instance, then be used to generate a graphically displayed map or visual indicator and/or to a provide a zone-specific or area-specific analysis of the topology data.
Referring still to
Thereafter, by analyzing the calculated height profile in combination with the planting data stored within the planting database 144, the height analysis module 148 may determine the individual height of each plant within the field. For instance, the geo-referenced crop grid or planting map stored within the planting database 144 may be overlaid or otherwise analyzed together with the calculated height profile for the field to determine the exact distance or height between the post-emergence field contour map and the pre-emergence field contour map at each respective plant location. By performing a plant specific analysis for each post-emergence dataset, the individual heights of each plant may be determined at each point across the growth cycle at which data was collected. The individual plant heights may then be stored within the controller's memory 142 for subsequent processing and/or analysis. In addition, the individual growth rates for each respective plant within the field (e.g., as determined based on the height differentials between different post-emergence datasets) may be stored within the controller's memory 142 for subsequent processing and/or analysis.
Moreover, as shown in
In one embodiment, the localized treatment prescription developed by the treatment prescription module 150 may differentiate between which portions of the field are to be treated with agricultural products based on the plant height data. For instance, the treatment prescription module 150 may prescribe that only AOIs associated with plants of lower heights are to be treated with one or more agricultural products, such as a fertilizer treatment, thereby eliminating the need to treat the entire field. In addition to differentiating between the specific areas within the field requiring treatment (or as an alternative thereto), the localized treatment prescription may prescribe varying amounts of agricultural product to be applied to the field based on the plant height data. For instance, the localized treatment prescription may indicate that the plant groupings or AOIs associated with the lowest plant heights are to be treated with the largest amount of fertilizer or nutrients. In such an embodiment, the prescribed amount of fertilizer or nutrients to be applied across other portions of the field may, for example, be incrementally decreased with increasing levels of plant heights for other identified plant groupings or AOIs.
As shown in
It should be appreciated that, although the various control functions and/or actions were generally described above as being executed by one of the controllers of the system (e.g., the UAV controller 106 or the remote controller(s) 110, such control functions/actions may generally be executed by either of such controllers 106, 110 and/or may be distributed across both of the controllers 106, 110. For instance, in an alternative embodiment, the height analysis module 148 may be executed by the UAV controller 106 to assess the topology data collected by the sensor(s) 104. Similarly, in another alternative embodiment, the operation of the UAV 102 (e.g., the operation of the propulsion system 124) may be controlled by the remote controller(s) 110 as opposed to the UAV controller 106.
Referring now to
As shown in
Following emergence of the plants 160 within the field F, the UAV 102 may then make any number of passes across the field F to capture post-emergence data indicative of the topology or height contour of the field F inclusive of the emerged plants 160. As indicated above, it may be desirable for the UAV 102 to make multiple post-emergence passes across the field F at different times during the growth cycle of the plants 160. For instance, the UAV 102 may be configured to make periodic post-emergence passes across the field F at predetermined intervals (e.g., every 10 days, 20 days, 30 days, etc.). Such periodic post-emergence passes allow field topology data to be captured that can be used to assess the growth rate of the plants 160 between successive passes.
The two post-emergence passes B, C, shown in
As shown in the example of
It should be appreciated that, when collecting the topology data, the UAV 102 may, in one embodiment, be configured to be flown across the field F at the same altitude for each pass, thereby allowing the topology data collected by the sensor(s) 104 to be referenced from a given altitude. In addition to such fixed altitude flights (or as an alternative thereto), the UAV(s) 102 may be flown over one or more reference features having a known height(s) (e.g., one or more fixed posts or other stakes having a predetermined height(s)) to allow the sensor(s) 104 to capture reference height data for the topology dataset being collected.
Referring now to
As indicated above, the ground surface topology detected during the pre-emergence pass A may be used as a reference or baseline field contour map for evaluating both the height profile of the field, as well as the individual heights of the plants within the field. For instance, the height profile of the field at the time of the first post-emergence pass B can be determined by calculating the height differential between the pre-emergence field contour line 180 and the first post-emergence field contour line 182 at each location across the entire field. Similarly, the height profile of the field at the time of the second post-emergence pass C can be determined by calculating the height differential between the pre-emergence field contour line 180 and the second post-emergences field contour line 184 at each location across the entire field.
Additionally, by knowing the exact location of each plant within the field (e.g., by referencing the associated crop grid or planting map), individual plant heights may be calculated for the plants by determining the height differential between the pre-emergence field contour line 180 and each post-emergence field contour line 182, 184 at the various plant locations. For instance, in the exemplary plot of
An exemplary plot of a three-dimensional contour map representative of the height profile of a field following the emergence of plants is illustrated in
Referring now to
Additionally, as shown in
It should be appreciated that, upon the development of a treatment prescription for the field F, the corresponding prescription may then be executed using one or more agricultural vehicles, such as the agricultural vehicle 108 described above with reference to
Referring now to
As shown in
Additionally, at (204), the method 200 may include generating a post-emergence field contour map for the field based on post-emergence aerial data collected for the field. For instance, as indicated above, a UAV 102 may be used to make one or more post-emergence passes across a field to collect topology data indicative of the topology or height contour of the field following the emergence of plants within the field. Such post-emergence topology data may then form the basis of a post-emergence field contour map representing the field topology across the entire field.
Moreover, at (206), the method 200 may include identifying individual plant heights of the plants located within one or more portions of the field based at least in part on a comparison between the pre-emergence field contour map and the post-emergence field contour map. For example, as indicated above, a plant height profile for the field may be determined by calculating the differential between the pre-emergence field contour map and the post-emergence field contour map. In such an embodiment, by referencing or accessing planting data associated with field (e.g., geo-referenced planting data identifying the location of each plant within the field), the plant height profile may be analyzed to identify the height of each individual plant within the field.
Referring still to
It is to be understood that the steps of the method 200 are performed by a controller(s) (e.g., controller(s) 110 and/or controller 106) upon loading and executing software code or instructions which are tangibly stored on a tangible computer readable medium, such as on a magnetic medium, e.g., a computer hard drive, an optical medium, e.g., an optical disc, solid-state memory, e.g., flash memory, or other storage media known in the art. Thus, any of the functionality performed by the controller(s) described herein, such as the method 200, is implemented in software code or instructions which are tangibly stored on a tangible computer readable medium. The controller(s) loads the software code or instructions via a direct interface with the computer readable medium or via a wired and/or wireless network. Upon loading and executing such software code or instructions by the controller(s), the controller(s) may perform any of the functionality of the controller(s) described herein, including any steps of the method 200 described herein.
The term “software code” or “code” used herein refers to any instructions or set of instructions that influence the operation of a computer or controller. They may exist in a computer-executable form, such as machine code, which is the set of instructions and data directly executed by a computer's central processing unit or by a controller, a human-understandable form, such as source code, which may be compiled in order to be executed by a computer's central processing unit or by a controller, or an intermediate form, such as object code, which is produced by a compiler. As used herein, the term “software code” or “code” also includes any human-understandable computer instructions or set of instructions, e.g., a script, that may be executed on the fly with the aid of an interpreter executed by a computer's central processing unit or by a controller.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
