Dynamic Spray Buffer Calculation for Agricultural Drift Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional agricultural sprayer systems treat buffer zones as static areas, leading to unintended product dispensing when weather conditions change, resulting in drift that can harm non-target organisms and affect air and water quality.
Innovation Solution
Dynamic spray buffer calculation systems adjust buffer areas based on real-time climatic conditions such as wind speed, direction, and humidity, using on-board weather stations and sensors to modify application plans and machine controls, ensuring precise targeting and minimizing off-target application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If buffer zones are treated as static areas in conventional sprayer systems, then the system structure is simple and easy to operate, but unintended product dispensing occurs when weather conditions change, resulting in drift to non-target areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic buffer zones that automatically adjust their boundaries based on real-time weather conditions (wind speed, wind direction, temperature, humidity). The buffer zone coordinates are recalculated continuously during spraying operations, transforming the static buffer concept into a dynamic adaptive system that responds to environmental changes, thereby preventing drift to non-target areas while maintaining operational simplicity through automation
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates real-time weather monitoring through onboard sensors and weather stations that continuously feed environmental data to the control system. This feedback loop enables the buffer zone boundaries to be automatically adjusted based on current conditions, ensuring accurate product application while eliminating the need for manual buffer zone management by the operator
2Object-affected harmful factors
If buffer zones are adjusted dynamically based on real-time climatic conditions, then drift to non-target areas is reduced and environmental protection is improved, but the system complexity increases requiring onboard weather stations and real-time monitoring
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-adjustment of buffer zones using onboard weather sensors and automated control algorithms. The sprayer system monitors its own operating conditions and environmental factors, then automatically modifies buffer zone boundaries without requiring external intervention or complex manual calculations, thereby reducing drift while keeping the added complexity manageable through self-service operation
Solution Approach 2:
The onboard weather station and control system serve multiple functions: monitoring wind speed, wind direction, temperature, humidity, calculating dynamic buffer zones, controlling spray application rates, and preventing drift. By consolidating these functions into a single integrated system, the patent reduces overall complexity compared to having separate systems for each function, while effectively addressing drift to non-target areas
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a method that comprises retrieving by a processing unit an application plan from memory, the application plan comprising coordinates for a buffer area associated with dispensing a product onto a field; receiving information from a weather station, the information corresponding to substantially current climatic conditions detected by the weather station in the field; responsive to receiving the information from the weather station, adjusting the application plan; and causing an agricultural machine to operate according to the adjusted application plan.