Drone Implementation and Drone

Abstract

DRONE IMPLEMENT AND DRONE. The present invention relates to a drone implement comprising articles for dispensing to the ground, dispensed by an auger which, when activated, rotates and promotes the dispensing of an article.

Description

1 / 13 Drone Implementation and Drone Field of invention

[001] The present invention relates to a method of dispensing articles in agricultural crops such as eucalyptus, soybeans, cotton and tomatoes. History of the invention

[002] Agriculture is an intensive activity that involves several factors for adequate production with efficient yield. Accurate dispensing of inputs to increase crop productivity is routinely necessary. For example, efforts to combat pests are needed to increase yield per hectare cultivated. In this sense, most pest control is carried out manually, thus consuming a large amount of time with reduced precision.

[003] Despite the use of drones, for example, the dispensing of supplies in agriculture is still slow and lacks precision. In the current market there are companies that perform this type of dispensing, however, there are few companies that carry out this activity in the forestry sector. Although there are already companies that, for example, release supplies with drones in the forestry sector, none of them sell the equipment separately, or adapt their equipment to the way that companies producing biological control agents package their natural enemies for release. Brief description of the invention

[004] The present invention relates to a drone implement comprising articles for launching to the ground in a first chamber, dispensed by a screw without Petition 870200156742, dated 12 / 14 / 2020, page 7 / 27 2 / 13 end which, when activated, rotates and dispenses an item. Brief description of the figures

[005] Figure 1 illustrates a drone attached to a drone attachment, the subject of the present invention.

[006] Figure 1A illustrates a drone in detail with a drone position light.

[007] Figure 2 illustrates a screw with a worm thread having a free end and a screw base.

[008] Figure 3 illustrates a packaging stacking arrangement that receives a worm screw.

[009] Figure 4 illustrates a stacking arrangement of packages that will be pushed by the endless screw.

[010] Figure 5 illustrates a drone implement housing, comprising a first camera and a second camera.

[011] Figure 6 illustrates a perspective view of a package with a configuration for accommodating pupae, eggs, parasitoids, predators, etc.

[012] Figure 7 illustrates a top view showing a hole for receiving the screw of the worm gear, and side views of a package with a configuration for accommodating a pupa, eggs, parasitoids, predators, etc.

[013] Figure 8 illustrates a schematic of the electronic circuit comprising the controller, LDR sensor and motor that integrates the present invention. Petition 870200156742, dated 12 / 14 / 2020, page 8 / 27 3 / 13

[014] Figure 9 illustrates a schematic of the drone system's flight plan. Detailed description of the invention

[015] Figure 1 illustrates a drone (10) coupled to the drone implement (20), object of the present invention, which comprises articles (50) for dispensing to the ground, dispensed by an endless screw (60) which, when activated, rotates and promotes the dispensing of an article (50).

[016] The auger (60) is electronically controlled by a controller (30). The start or stop action is performed by a drone control that can turn on or off drone position lights (17), as illustrated, for example, in Figure 1A, which are captured by an LDR sensor (40) located inside the drone implement (20), which activates the auger (60), depending on the programming imposed on the controller (30). The auger (60), when activated, moves the articles (50) in a dispensing direction, advancing along the screw of the auger (60) to be dispensed by gravity by the drone implement (20).

[017] In one embodiment, the article (50) has a hole (55) that receives the worm screw (60). The articles (50) are thus suspended from the worm screw during the operation of the drone implement. The actuation of the worm screw (60) by the motor (70) rotates the screw (60), causing the articles (50) to move along the screw gap, where the articles (50) are fitted into the screw by their holes (55) arranged in the gap between the threads. Upon reaching the end of the screw, a first article (56), closer to the free end (61) Petition 870200156742, dated 12 / 14 / 2020, page 9 / 27 4 / 13 of the worm screw (60) is released from the screw and bolt and dispensed by the implement (20) by gravity.

[018] As can be seen in Figure 2, the auger (60) may have, in addition to the free end, a drive base (62). The drive base (62) may be connected to a motor (70). In one embodiment, the drone implement (20) comprises articles (50) for dispensing to the ground, wherein the articles (50) have a hole that receives and accommodates the auger screw (60), forming a row or a stack of articles (50) pierced by the auger screw (60), as illustrated in Figure 3. When activated, the auger screw (60) rotates and promotes the movement of the articles (50) along the auger, in the direction of the free end of the auger screw, towards the opposite side to the motor (70) that drives the auger (60), wherein the article (50) reaches such free end is then released from the auger and the screw and dispensed by the implement (20) by gravity.

[019] As illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, the worm screw (60) passes through articles (50). Given the configuration of the hole (50), it fits into the thread of the worm screw, and can be fitted into the gap of the thread, between the threads.

[020] The worm screw (60) can be directly driven by a motor (70). In this way, the worm screw (60) is driven by a motor controller (30) (70). The motor (70) can be a DC stepper motor, for example.

[021] The article (50) loaded and dispensed Petition 870200156742, dated 12 / 14 / 2020, page 10 / 27 5 / 13 by drone implement (20) may be an article (50) comprising a natural enemy of a pest, a seed, a fertilizer, an agricultural pesticide, among others. Preferably, the article (50) comprises a natural enemy of a pest. For example, insects of the suborder Heteroptera are parasitoids or predators of agricultural and forest pests.

[022] According to the present invention, a natural enemy of a pest may be understood to be a pupa comprising parasitoids of natural parasites of a pest. For example, a Tenebrio pupa comprising parasitoids. Species of the genus Palmistichus elaeisis may be used in the biological control of defoliating caterpillars of eucalyptus, soybean, cotton and tomato, being considered as preferred natural enemies in the present invention and may be used for the biological control of defoliating caterpillars of eucalyptus, for example. Pupae parasitized by Palmistichus elaeisis may be accommodated in the dispensed articles (50) that land in an orderly distribution along a eucalyptus crop, for example.Each parasitized pupa can release up to 200 Palmistichus elaeisis wasps in the vicinity of the fall site, for example, within a 50 m radius, providing ample coverage against a pest such as the eucalyptus defoliating caterpillar, through the new parasitism of its pupae in the vicinity of the fall site. Figure 9 illustrates an ordered distribution (100) of articles (50), in an exemplary manner.

[023] The article (50), for example, can be packaging. The packaging can be a paper bag, an envelope, or packaging with a configuration to accommodate a pupa, Petition 870200156742, dated 12 / 14 / 2020, page 11 / 27 6 / 13 for example. Common paper packaging allows for release, however it is more susceptible to drift (being carried by the wind), predation by natural enemies released by carnivorous ants and crushing of natural enemies because of the narrower vertices characteristic of envelope-type packaging. Article (50) may be packaging comprising a natural enemy of a pest, such as a pupa parasitized by Palmistichus elaeisis, for example.

[024] To accommodate the pupa, the article (50) must have conditions that cushion its fall, such as packaging with a pupa accommodation configuration (57), as can be seen in Figure 6, where the packaging includes an arrangement that helps reduce drift with the use of ballast, promotes insect repellency and also does not have narrowing at its vertices, also presenting ventilation openings that allow greater thermal comfort to the insects and allow easy exit from the packaging when in the field.

[025] Item (50) is preferably a package, in particular a cardboard package, for example. The cardboard package has two layers of ordinary cellulose paper or plain cardboard that accommodate an inner layer of corrugated cardboard, in a configuration that cushions the fall of item (50) so as not to cause harm to the parasitized pupa. For example, the corrugation of the corrugated cardboard and the plain cardboard wall form chambers that can accommodate the parasitized pupa. Advantageously, in addition to accommodating the pupa in the inner chambers, the corrugated cardboard also provides cushioning during the fall. Furthermore, so that the Petition 870200156742, dated 12 / 14 / 2020, p. 12 / 27 7 / 13 To minimize physical stress on the pupa and maintain its integrity, the packaging (50) must travel from the implement to the ground as smoothly as possible. Therefore, the packaging (50) takes the form of an envelope-like package, where the height and width are dimensionally greater than the thickness, as can be seen in Figure 7. In this sense, there is the advantageous use of ballast, preferably at the base (58), opposite the side that houses the hole (55), so that it travels in the air with this base (58) ballasted by gravity and facing downwards. This configuration provides the least physical stress to the pupa and contributes to its physical integrity upon falling, preventing breakage or crushing when landing. The ballast in the packaging can be made by inserting a paste plaster with repellent into the cardboard used at the bottom of the packaging.The weight at the bottom of the container causes it to rotate downwards when dispersed in the air, moving vertically rather than horizontally. For example, the repellent used can be obtained from clove extract (Syzygium aromaticum) in two solutions: an alcoholic solution applied to the smooth paper sheets that form the walls of the container, and an oily solution used in the mixture with the plaster.

[026] For example, packaging can be constructed with two sheets of ordinary cellulose paper measuring 5.5 cm high by 4.5 cm wide. The joining of these sheets front and back is done on both sides, up to a height of 4.5 cm, and along the entire bottom using a strip of corrugated cardboard, leaving the top open for the placement of the parasitized pupae whose interior houses Petition 870200156742, dated 12 / 14 / 2020, page 13 / 27 8 / 13 the natural enemy that will be born in the field after release, inside the package.

[027] For example, the packaging can have a total area of ​​12.37 cm3, or a useful area of ​​10 cm3, thus allowing the transport of the contents of 1 to 15 parasitized pupae, which corresponds to 200 to 3,000 natural enemies. In this way, the implement, for example, can transport up to 50 packages per mission, which can yield from 12.5 to 50.0 / ha treated per flight depending on the number of packages released. Because they are made of paper, cardboard and plaster, the packages can be 100% degradable.

[028] The articles (50) accommodated in the first chamber (80) are preferably accommodated side by side so that dispensing can occur in an orderly manner. For example, the articles (50) can be suspended on the auger (60) forming a row or stack (55) of suspended articles (50), as can be seen in Figure 4. Alternatively, the articles (50) can be pushed by a baffle (63) and the first article (57), located closest to the free end (61) of the auger (60) is pushed to the free end of the auger screw (60), being dispensed through an outlet located under the article (50) by the action of gravity.

[029] The drone implement (20) of the present invention can be fitted to a drone that has the ability to lift cargo. Drones from the Phantom family produced by DJI, for example, can be used.

[030] The motor (70) is driven by a command from the controller (30), which is stimulated by a light stimulus. The light stimulus is captured by the controller. Petition 870200156742, dated 12 / 14 / 2020, page 14 / 27 9 / 13 (30) by means of a Light Dependent Resistor (LDR) sensor (40) which is a component that has a variable resistance that changes with the intensity of the light incident on it. This allows them to be used as detectors of light stimuli.

[031] The LDR sensor (40) is used to generate a differential voltage that is interpreted by the controller (30). The LDR sensor (40) is connected to the controller (30) and translates light stimuli as a voltage differential to the controller (30). The controller (30) is configured to determine the voltage differential based on a pre-established command imposed on the controller. The drone implement (20), object of the present invention, preferably comprises a second chamber (90) that houses the controller (30) and the LDR sensor (40).

[032] The controller (30) and sensor system LDR (40) can be exemplified by the diagram in Figure 8, which illustrates a controller (30), an LDR sensor (40) and the motor (70) that integrates the worm gear system (60).

[033] The release mechanism can be activated when the drone is flying over the target and can be turned off as soon as it is out of the dispensing target. The release mechanism can be activated by turning on extra positioning lights on the drone via its own control.

[034] Examples of controllers (30) can be Arduino-type controllers. The Arduino system can be programmed to generate output signals that are used to turn the motor (70) on or off at precise times. The drive by the motor (70) of the worm screw (60) can be Petition 870200156742, dated 12 / 14 / 2020, page 15 / 27 10 / 13 is made according to the desired release speed requirement. A C++ code can be used, which is saved in the processing. An example is shown in Table 1: 7 / / / --- Auxiliary Libraries --#include<Stepper.h> / / library for stepper motor control / / / / --- Hardware Mapping --- #define in1 8 / / input 1 of the ULN2003 #define in2 9 / / input 2 of the ULN2003 #define in3 10 / / input 3 of the ULN2003 #define in4 11 / / input 4 of the ULN2003 / / --- PIN for connection to the LDR module const int sensor_ldr = 7; / / digital sensor reading pin / / / / --- Auxiliary Constants --const int stepsPerRevolution = 200; / / change this to fit the number of steps per revolution / / / / --- Object Declaration --Stepper myStepper(stepsPerRevolution, in1,in3,in2,in4); / / / / --- Initial Settings --void setup() { Serial.begin(9600); / / Initializes the serial port Serial.println(Serial INITIATED); Set the speed to 60 rpm. myStepper.setSpeed(40); Petition 870200156742, dated 12 / 14 / 2020, page 16 / 27 11 / 13 / / defines the pin related to the sensor as a digital input pinMode(sensor_ldr, INPUT); Serial.println("System STARTED"); } / / end setup / / ===================================================== =================================================== / / --- Infinite Loop --void loop() { / / reads the sensor state and stores it in the variable leitura int leitura = digitalRead(sensor_ldr); / / Checks if there is ambient light. If there is no light, activates the relay if (reading == LOW) { / / activates the motor (note: the motor is activated when the light is LOW) Serial.println("Triggered"); myStepper.step(stepsPerRevolution);} / / else { / / turn off motor / / Serial.println(Off); / / } / / delay(250);}

[035] To control the rotation speed of the worm screw (60), it is necessary to edit the following text in the code myStepper.setSpeed(40)” where the higher the number, the higher the rotation speed. The code can be edited via cable and dedicated interface on a computer, or via Bluetooth in a dedicated application if the Arduino has it.

[036] The speed to be used depends on the number of “packets” that must be released in the interval. Petition 870200156742, dated 12 / 14 / 2020, page 17 / 27 The proposed 12 / 13 time frame can also be adjusted through the drone's speed, thus avoiding having to change the code for each situation. Table 2: Speed ​​vs. Rotation (RPM) Configuration Packages / ha Speed ​​km / h Rpm Range m 1 30 40 50 x 200 2 30 20 50 x 100 3 40 10 50 x 67 4 30 10 50 x 50

[037] Preferably, the drone attachment (20) may have the first (80) and second cameras (90) symmetrical with respect to the drone. Being symmetrical, the cameras form a gap that can accommodate the drone. For example, the drone fits into a central gap provided by the cameras arranged symmetrically, one in relation to the other, where each camera can be positioned on each side of the drone. The attachment can be attached to the drone by means of a fixation on its landing gear, for example.

[038] Drone operation can occur according to the manufacturer's recommendations, with the speed used according to the required number of packages and the configuration edited in the code. The operating height can be as close as possible to the forest canopy to avoid drift, while still avoiding potential obstacles. This operating height provides the shortest possible fall distance and accuracy in dispensing the item, where the drone can be piloted manually or by configuring an autonomous route using Petition 870200156742, dated 12 / 14 / 2020, page 18 / 27 13 / 13 of the drone's own app. Petition 870200156742, dated 12 / 14 / 2020, page 19 / 27

Claims

1 / 2 CLAIMS 1. DRONE IMPLEMENT characterized by comprising articles for dispensing to the ground, dispensed by an endless screw which, when activated, rotates and promotes the dispensing of an article.

2. DRONE IMPLEMENT, according to claim 1, characterized by the articles having a hole that receives a screw with a worm thread which, when activated, rotates and dispenses a first article located closer to a free end of the screw with a worm thread.

3. DRONE IMPLEMENT, according to claim 1, characterized by the articles being in the formation of a stack of articles in a first chamber, the stack of articles being suspended on the screw with worm gear which, when activated, rotates the worm gear that advances the stack of articles in the direction of the free end of the screw with worm gear, releasing a first article from the stack.

4. DRONE IMPLEMENT, according to claim 1, characterized in that the article comprises a natural enemy of a pest.

5. DRONE IMPLEMENT, according to claim 4, characterized in that the natural enemy of a pest is a species of the genus Palmistichus elaeisis.

6. DRONE IMPLEMENT, according to claim 1, characterized by the auger being in a horizontal arrangement.

7. DRONE IMPLEMENT, according to claim 1, characterized by the auger being activated by the command of a controller. Petition 870200156742, dated 12 / 14 / 2020, page 20 / 27 2 / 2 8. DRONE IMPLEMENT, according to claim 7, characterized in that the controller is an Arduino controller.

9. DRONE IMPLEMENT, according to claim 7, characterized by a controller that activates the auger after a light stimulus provided by the drone.

10. DRONE IMPLEMENT, according to claim 9, characterized in that the light stimulus is captured by the controller by means of an LDR sensor.

11. DRONE IMPLEMENT, according to claim 1, characterized by comprising a second chamber accommodating the controller and the LDR sensor.

12. DRONE IMPLEMENT, according to claim 11, characterized in that the first and second cameras are arranged symmetrically with respect to the drone.

13. DRONE IMPLEMENT characterized by the LDR sensor connecting to the controller which activates a motor that rotates a worm screw, promoting the advancement of the items fitted into the worm screw gap, which pushes the stack of items towards the free end of the worm screw, promoting the release of the first item, where the first item is dispensed by gravity from the drone implement.

14. DRONE, characterized by being equipped with a drone implement, as per claim 1. Petition 870200156742, dated 12 / 14 / 2020, pp. 21 / 27

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