Autonomous Drone Marking for Agricultural Obstacle Avoidance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing agricultural machines face challenges in detecting and avoiding obstacles, particularly living beings and objects that can damage the machine or contaminate the harvested crop, often requiring additional human intervention or non-autonomous drone devices.

Innovation Solution

A self-propelled agricultural machine equipped with an autonomously flying drone device that detects obstacles, positions itself above them, and communicates with the machine's control system to adjust its route and generate warnings, allowing for obstacle avoidance without additional human intervention.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If additional human intervention or non-autonomous drone devices are used to detect obstacles, then detection capability is improved, but device complexity and operational cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveobstacle detection capabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The drone device autonomously detects obstacles, positions itself above them, and communicates with the agricultural machine's control system without requiring human intervention. The system self-manages the complete obstacle detection and avoidance process, eliminating the need for additional personnel or complex coordination systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Loss of time

If traditional obstacle detection methods are used, then operational simplicity is maintained, but detection timeliness and safety are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveobstacle detection timeVSAvoidsafety of living beings and machine
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The drone device flies ahead of the agricultural machine to detect obstacles before the machine reaches them. By performing preliminary detection and positioning itself above detected obstacles, the system provides advance warning to the control system, enabling timely route adjustments and preventing collisions with living beings or objects.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If manual obstacle detection methods are used, then system simplicity is maintained, but productivity and harvest quality are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveharvest efficiencyVSAvoidoperational simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual obstacle detection methods with an autonomous drone device equipped with sensors and communication systems. The drone automatically detects obstacles, determines their positions, and transmits data to the control system, eliminating the need for manual detection while enhancing productivity and harvest quality through timely obstacle avoidance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP4302590B1Agricultural machine with a drone device
Publication Date: 2026.03.11 CLAAS SELBSTFAHRENDE ERNTEMASCHINEN GMBH
  • EP4302590B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

The present invention relates to a self-propelled agricultural machine (1) with at least one drone device (5). The present invention is based on the general idea that an obstacle in an agricultural field (3) is marked by means of the drone device (5).