Autonomous Land Drone for Soil Protection and Yield
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Agricultural machinery, such as tractors, require significant labor and time to operate on large tracts of land, often in challenging conditions like extreme weather, and can cause soil damage and pollution, limiting arable land use and crop yield.
Innovation Solution
A multi-operational land drone equipped with electric motors, sensors, and a variable powertrain system for improved traction and stability, allowing remote operation and autonomous navigation, reducing environmental impact and increasing land usability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional tractors and agricultural vehicles are used to maintain land and crops, then labor intensive work can be performed, but significant time is spent and operator exposure to extreme weather conditions occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The autonomous land drone performs land maintenance tasks independently without requiring continuous human operation. The vehicle autonomously navigates, monitors crops through sensors, and executes maintenance operations, enabling the system to serve itself and eliminating the need for operators to spend extensive time in the vehicle.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanically-operated tractors with an autonomous electric vehicle system. The mechanical operation by human operators is substituted with automated control systems, sensors, and electric propulsion, dramatically reducing the time operators must spend operating the equipment while maintaining or improving productivity.
2Productivity
If tractors operate on large tracts of land, then land maintenance can be performed, but soil damage and pollution occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional internal combustion engine tractors with an electric-powered autonomous vehicle. This substitution eliminates exhaust emissions and reduces soil compaction, thereby removing the harmful factors of pollution and soil damage while maintaining the capability to perform land maintenance operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle changes the operational parameters by using electric propulsion instead of combustion engines, operating at lower speeds with greater precision, and distributing weight more evenly through autonomous control. These parameter changes reduce soil compaction and eliminate emissions, addressing the harmful effects while preserving productivity.
3Reliability
If remote operation is implemented, then operator risk in extreme weather is reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces direct mechanical operation by operators with remote electronic control systems. Operators can monitor and control the vehicle through digital interfaces and sensor feedback, eliminating exposure to extreme weather conditions while the increased electronic control complexity is managed through integrated software and communication systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-operational land drone includes a vehicle body, one or more batteries, one or more sensors, and a removeable dashboard. The one or more batteries are disposed on a lower portion of the vehicle body. The one or more sensors are disposed on the vehicle body.