On-Board Satellite Crop Analysis for 24-Hour Drought Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for accurate, precise, and timely intervention to alter crop growing conditions in agriculture.
Innovation Solution
An iteratively updated, multivariate/multi-dimensional, and spatially resolved agriculture aid apparatus and method that uses orbiting satellites to process crop image data on-board, reducing data size through atmospheric correction, geo-rectification, image segmentation, and data analysis, and relaying actionable information to farmers within 24 hours.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If ground-based or traditional aerial monitoring methods are used, then equipment complexity is reduced, but measurement precision and timeliness of crop condition data are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces ground-based mechanical monitoring systems with satellite-based remote sensing systems that utilize electromagnetic radiation detection. The satellite apparatus employs spectrometers and sensors to detect spectral signatures of crops, soil, and water from orbital distances, eliminating the need for physical presence in the field while achieving superior measurement precision through multi-spectral analysis across multiple wavelength regions.
2Measurement precision
If comprehensive spectral data collection across multiple wavelength regions is performed, then measurement precision improves, but loss of time increases due to extensive data processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The satellite apparatus performs preliminary data processing and analysis while in orbit, computing crop health indicators, water stress metrics, and pest detection algorithms before data transmission to Earth. This pre-processing approach reduces the computational burden on ground-based systems and accelerates the delivery of actionable insights to farmers, maintaining high measurement precision while minimizing time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts only the most critical and actionable information from the comprehensive spectral data collected across multiple wavelength regions. By identifying and prioritizing key spectral indicators related to crop health, water content, and pest presence, the system delivers essential insights without transmitting or processing every raw data point, thereby reducing time loss while preserving measurement precision for decision-making.
3Manufacturing precision
If detailed spatially resolved data is provided to farmers, then manufacturing precision of agricultural interventions improves, but loss of information increases due to the volume of data that must be transmitted and managed
Solution Approach 1:
The satellite apparatus provides spatially resolved data that identifies specific locations within agricultural fields requiring particular interventions. By delivering localized information about crop stress, water needs, and pest infestations at precise geographic coordinates rather than field-wide averages, the system enables farmers to apply treatments only where needed, improving manufacturing precision of agricultural interventions while managing information volume through targeted delivery.
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 timely and precise crop management decisions by providing actionable intelligence on crop health, water needs, and pest infestations, allowing for targeted interventions without visual inspection.
Implementation Method 1
measuring with an orbiting satellite spectral responses of a cropland in ranges of 400 to 1,100; 700 to 2,500; and 2,500 to 12,000 nm
Implementation Method 2
measuring on-board the orbiting satellite crop transpiration with the near-infrared radiation
Data Source
AI summary
The invention comprises a method for managing cropland, comprising the steps of: (1) measuring, each of a set of spatially resolved locations, level zero data with an orbiting satellite, the level zero data comprising, spectral responses in ranges of 400 to 00; 1,100 to 2,500; and 2,500 to 12,000 nm; (2) processing, on-board the orbiting satellite, the level zero data comprising a first data storage size, to yield crop condition information comprising a second data storage size of less than one percent of the first data storage size; (3) measuring, on-board the orbiting satellite, crop transpiration with the near-infrared radiation to determine drought locations of the set of spatially resolved locations; (4) receiving from the orbiting satellite to a ground based communication system the crop condition information including the drought locations; and (5) relaying at least a portion of the crop condition information to a farmer within twenty-four hours.