Radar Imaging for Non-Destructive Crop Yield Estimation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for estimating agricultural yields in fruit and vegetable crops are restrictive, unreliable, and can damage crops, as they require physical measurement or leaf stripping, limiting their accuracy and practicality for early harvest predictions.
Innovation Solution
A radar imaging system using a ground-based radar unit operating in the millimeter or microwave frequency band, capable of acquiring 2D or 3D images of cultivated plots without contact, employing Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) techniques to estimate crop volume and yield without damaging the crops, allowing for precise and rapid data collection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If physical measurement methods are used to estimate yield, then measurement precision can be achieved, but crops are damaged or destroyed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical measurement systems (physical contact with crops) with an electromagnetic radar imaging system. The radar unit emits electromagnetic waves that penetrate foliage and reflect off fruits/vegetables, allowing yield estimation without physical contact or damage to the crops.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces electromagnetic waves as an intermediary between the measurement system and the crops. These waves can pass through leaves and branches to detect fruits and vegetables internally, providing measurement capability without direct mechanical contact that would cause damage.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If leaf stripping is performed to access fruits, then visual access for measurement is improved, but crop integrity is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces visual/optical measurement methods that require leaf removal with radar imaging that can see through foliage. The electromagnetic waves penetrate leaves and branches to directly image fruits and vegetables without needing to strip leaves for access.
3Measurement precision
If manual pedestrian measurement is used, then detailed fruit data can be collected, but productivity is reduced and reliability is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The radar system automatically performs yield estimation without requiring manual intervention. The processing unit automatically processes radar images to count and weigh fruits/vegetables, eliminating the need for pedestrians to manually measure each fruit while maintaining detailed data collection capability and significantly improving productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the measurement parameters from manual fruit-by-fruit assessment to automated radar-based volumetric and mass estimation. The system processes multiple parameters simultaneously (position, volume, density, weight) through image analysis, enabling rapid comprehensive yield estimation across entire plots.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables reliable and rapid estimation of agricultural yields, predicting harvests up to one or two months in advance, without damaging crops or requiring leaf stripping, facilitating better logistics planning and improving yield estimation accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
a radar unit (1) configured to acquire at least one three-dimensional (3D) or two-dimensional (2D) image of the cultivated plot
Implementation Method 2
The radar unit therefore comprises a radar (11) configured to operate in the millimeter wave or microwave range
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a system for estimating the agricultural yield of a cultivated plot comprising a plurality of crops, the system comprising: - a radar unit (1) having: - a radar (11) configured to acquire at least one image of the cultivated plot, said radar operating in the field of frequency-modulated continuous waves; - a focusing unit (12) configured to focus a radar beam in an acquisition direction; - a processing unit (2) configured to carry out steps of: - acquiring (E1), for each position of the radar, at least one image of at least one crop by means of the radar; - processing (E2) the acquired image to extract therefrom at least one data item representative of the yield of the cultivated plot; - determining (E3) the yield of the cultivated crop on the basis of the extracted data.