helping you keep an eye on things...
Agriculture
- Using a larger UAV, such as the Yamaha RMAX helicopter, for crop spraying and dusting, greatly reduces the danger of chemical contamination of personnel
The hazards associated with manual crop spraying are being noted.
Agricultural applications
- Monitor farm and agriculture related features:
- the spread of locusts
- timber theft
- moisture levels in crops and vineyards
- how crops are growing throughout the country
- state of plantations on hillsides
- coffee plantations
- the spread of any crop destroying pests
- location of farm equipment
- progress and quality of work of autonomous combine harvesters
- Identify, using multi-spectral and thermal imaging, and LIDAR:
- different crop regions
- different varieties of the same crop
- the condition of the crop: for example, healthy, or, diseased
- live and dead vegetation in fields
- where crops are being eaten by pests, or, rodents
- theft of crops, or, farm animals
- the height of trees in a forest, or, a plantation
- Plot outbreaks of animal diseases, such as “foot-and-mouth” and “mad cow”, on accurate, up-to-date maps, derived from aerial photography, to help identify the source of the disease and contribute to the containment of the outbreak.
Information kindly supplied by Lisa Shaw at www.cropcam.com
The CropCam offers image-on-demand and is an inexpensive alternative to satellite, or, flying an airplane over a field. It can provide images of crops, drainage, environmental, spraying, precision agriculture and has a multitude of other uses.
The CropCam aircraft. Download hi-res image: size = 2.373 MB
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CropCam specifications |
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length |
1.22 |
m |
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wing span |
2.44 |
m |
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weight |
2.72 |
Kg |
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engine |
2.46 0.15 |
cc cu in |
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flight time to cover 160 acres |
20 |
minutes |
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camera |
Pentax Optio 5 Si |
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average speed |
60 |
Kmph |
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minimum temperature |
-10 |
°C |
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recommended imaging overla |
30 |
% |
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approximate price |
7,000 |
USD |
CropCam is a division of MicroPilot. The CropCam was designed to be reasonably priced, highly efficient and user friendly for the commercial market. It is a radio controlled (RC) glider plane equipped with a Pentax digital camera, controlled by a MP2028 autopilot, along with pre-programmed HORIZON ground control software. In addition, MicroPilot has developed the CropCam Image Software. Available with an electric motor drive, the CropCam will also work with a RC transmitter for manual control of the plane.
The CropCam utilizes a MicroPilot autopilot for navigation and control of the camera: for everything else it uses RC parts (wings, servos, propellers, glow fuel or batteries) purchased locally. This makes the CropCam parts practical and accessible worldwide. At the heart of the CropCam system is a MicroPilot autopilot, as well as reputation. With over 350 clients in 52 countries, MicroPilot is the world leader in miniature autopilot technology.
Images
The CropCam is very versatile and flight plans can be suited to each country, or, application. For example, in Canada the regulatory administration allows the CropCam to fly at a maximum altitude of 2,100 feet. In the photograph below, the CropCam has flown at 2,100 feet and has taken 12 pictures of 160 acres (with 30% overlap for GIS applications).
- 12 images for 160 acres at 2,100 feet (British Columbia, July 24, 2006) Download hi-res image: size = 3.155 MB.
- 24 images for 320 acres at 2,100 feet (Manitoba April 26, 2006). Download hi-res image: size = 2.733 MB.
- For questions relating to GIS, Greg Lewis, their GIS expert, is available: see www.odis.ca
Other developments:
- Can cover 160 acres, 320 or 640 acres in one flight in approximately 23 - 27 minutes depending on the wind
- Offers real time video with the ability to capture images from a ground station
- Increased flying time to 55 minutes
- CropCam have hired Greg Lewis as a GIS Consultant, from www.odis.ca
- Can stitch images
- Testing a NIR (near infra-red camera) version
- Have sold units in 8 countries
from http://www.yamaha-motor.co.jp/global/industrial/sky/agricultural/index.html
With the health hazards associated with crop spraying, it islittle wonder there is an increased use of unmanned helicopters, in crop spraying work.
In the plot above, we see (top trace) the slow decrease in hectares of cultivated rice paddies, with the (red dots: middle line) decline in manned helicopters used in crop spraying and (green dots: lower line) the steady increase in areas sprayed using unmanned helicopters.
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Area-wide communal control of insect pests Strategic application timing is highly effective for area-wide communal pest control. The Yamaha RMAX Aero Robot is being used in increasing numbers in the integrated rice paddy systems. |
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The application of the Yamaha RMAX Aero Robot for insect pest control is expanding rapidly, with the expansion of cultivated areas. |
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The application of the Yamaha RMAX Aero Robot for insect pest control is expanding rapidly, to save energy. |
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The application of the RMAX for exterminating pine weevils is expanding. |
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The Yamaha RMAX Aero Robot has actualized energy-saving insect pest control for citrus fruit orchards, which are often located on slopes. |
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The Yamaha RMAX Aero Robot takes an active role in the maintenance of vegetable fields, such as cabbage and onions. |
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The Yamaha RMAX Aero Robot, with its improved loading capacity, exercises its power in fertilizer application. |
Getting the unmanned Yamaha RMAX helicopter ready for a testflight.
From www.yamaha-motor.co.jp/global/business/sky/agricultural/index.html (link no longer exists).
© Barnard Microsystems Limited 2006 - 2008