An irrigation system

Abstract

The present invention provides an irrigation system and method of irrigating land, the system comprising an underground pipe 108; irrigation equipment 112a, 112b, 112c configured to be deployed at an irrigation location along the pipe; sensor equipment 114a, 114b configured to be deployed at a sensor location along the pipe and configured to detect soil characteristics of soil outside the pipe 108; and a control system configured to selectively supply fluid from the irrigation equipment in response to the sensor equipment detecting the soil characteristics. Also disclosed is an irrigation drone (300, fig.3) and method of operating the drone, the drone having a propulsion means (320a, 320b, fig.3) for moving the drone through a pipe; a wireless communication device (312, fig.3) to receive instructions; and a flow regulation device (330, fig.3) configured to selectively expand and contract in response to the instructions to restrict or permit fluid flow within the pipe. The invention is intended to deliver fluids directly to the root zone of a plant without excessive losses.

Claims

1. An irrigation system comprising:an underground pipe;irrigation equipment configured to be deployed at an irrigation location along the pipe;sensor equipment configured to be deployed at a sensor location along the pipe, the sensor equipment configured to detect soil characteristics of soil outside the pipe; anda control system configured to selectively supply fluid from the irrigation equipment in response to the sensor equipment detecting the soil characteristics.

2. The irrigation system according to claim 1, wherein the pipe is pre-perforated.

3. The irrigation system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the irrigationequipment comprises a tube configured to be deployed through a sidewall of the pipe, and to permit the flow of fluid therethrough from the pipe to a fluid delivery point located outside the pipe.

4. The irrigation system according to claim 3, wherein the irrigation equipment comprises means for selectively restricting the flow of fluid from the pipe to the fluid delivery point.

5. The irrigation system according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the irrigation equipment comprises hole-forming equipment configured to make a hole in the sidewall of the pipe at die irrigation location and / or tube deployment equipment configured to deploy a tube through the sidewall of the pipe at the irrigation location.

6. The irrigation system according to any preceding claim, wherein the sensor equipment comprises a remote sensor.

7. The irrigation system according to according to any preceding claim, wherein thesensor equipment comprises a sensor configured to be deployed at a location outside the pipe.

8. The irrigation system according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the sensor equipment comprises hole-forming equipment configured to make a hole in the sidewall of die pipe at the sensor location and / or sensor deployment equipment configured to deploy the sensor through the sidewall of the pipe at the sensor location.

9. The irrigation system according to any preceding claim, wherein the control system comprises one or more drones deployed within the pipe, the drone or drones configured to control the flow of fluid through the pipe.

10. The irrigation system according to any preceding claim, wherein the fluid comprises one or more of water, fertilizer, a herbicide and / or a selective herbicide11. A method of irrigating land, die method comprising die steps of:installing an underground pipe;deploying irrigation equipment at an irrigation location along the pipe;deploying sensor equipment at a sensor location along the pipe;the sensor detecting soil characteristics of soil outside the pipe; and responsive to detecting the soil characteristics, selectively supplying fluid from the irrigation equipment.

12. An irrigation drone for use within a pipe, the drone comprising:propulsion means for facilitating movement of the drone through a pipe; a wireless communication device configured to receive wireless instructions; anda flow regulation device configured to selectively expand and contract in response to receiving wireless instructions, wherein, in an expanded state the flow regulation device is configured to be engageable with the inside of the pipe to restrict the flow of fluid therethrough, and in a retracted state the flow regulation device is configured to permit the flow of fluid therearound within the pipe.

13. The irrigation drone according to claim 12, wherein the wireless communication device is configured to enable communication with another drone within the pipe.

14. The irrigation drone according to claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the wireless communication device is configured to enable communication directly with sensor equipment and / or irrigation equipment.

15. The irrigation drone according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the flow regulation device comprises a valve.

16. The irrigation drone according to any one of claims 12 to 15, additionally comprising a turbine configured to drive an electric generator; the turbine arranged so that it is rotated by the flow of fluid through a pipe in which the drone is deployed.

17. The irrigation device according to any one of claims 12 to 16, additionally comprising hole-forming equipment, tube deployment equipment and / or sensor deployment equipment.

18. The irrigation drone according to any one of claims 12 to 17, wherein the irrigation drone is configured to deliver nutrients to a nutrient delivery location within the pipe.

19. A method of operating the irrigation drone according to any one of claims 12 to 18, the method comprising the steps of:moving the drone through a pipe using the propulsion means; receiving wireless instructions; andin response to receiving the wireless instructions, selectively expanding or contracting the flow regulation device.24

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