Crop-Scanning UAV With Lowered Camera for Canopy Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current remote sensing and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) do not acquire imagery at the required resolution and quality to effectively assess agricultural fields for weeds, diseases, pests, and ecophysiology, making it time-consuming for farmers to gather necessary image data.
Innovation Solution
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) equipped with a camera that can be lowered into the crop to acquire images at various heights, including ground level, allowing for accurate determination of leaf area index (LAI) and detection of diseases, pests, and insect damage through image processing, enabling semi-autonomous or autonomous operation and improved data acquisition efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If remote sensing and unmanned aerial vehicles are used for field assessment, then data acquisition speed is improved, but image resolution and quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The camera is made dynamically movable relative to the UAV body through a lowering mechanism. The camera can be positioned at different heights including within the crop canopy, allowing the system to adapt its imaging position dynamically. This dynamic positioning enables high-resolution imagery acquisition while maintaining the speed advantages of UAV operation.
Solution Approach 2:
A cable or mechanical linkage acts as an intermediary between the UAV body and the camera. This intermediary mechanism allows the camera to be deployed downward into the crop canopy while the UAV remains airborne, bridging the gap between aerial mobility and close-range imaging capabilities.
2Measurement precision
If the camera is lowered into the crop canopy, then image quality and detection accuracy are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The camera is extracted from the main UAV body and deployed separately downward into the crop canopy. This separation allows the camera to be positioned optimally for high-resolution imaging while keeping the main UAV body simple and focused on flight control. The camera module can be independently managed and deployed only when needed.
3Measurement precision
If images are acquired at multiple heights including ground level, then comprehensive field assessment is improved, but acquisition time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The camera acquisition process uses periodic action by capturing images at multiple discrete height positions (aerial view, canopy level, ground level) in sequence. This periodic sampling at different elevations provides comprehensive assessment data while maintaining efficient operation through structured, repeatable measurement cycles at each location.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to unmanned aerial vehicle for agricultural field assessment. It is described to fly (210) the unmanned aerial vehicle to a location in a field containing a crop. A body of the unmanned aerial vehicle is positioned (220) in a substantially stationary aspect above the crop at the location. A camera of the unmanned aerial vehicle is moved (230) verti- cally with respect to the body of the unmanned aerial vehicle between a first position and a sec- ond position, wherein the first position is closer to the body of the unmanned aerial vehicle than the second position. The camera acquires (240) at least one image relating to the crop when the camera is not in the first position.