# US 11,440,659 B2 · Precision agriculture implementation method by UAV systems and artificial intelligence image processing technologies

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 11,440,659 B2
- Document ID: US11440659B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/568,280
- Filed: 2019-09-12
- Published: 2021-03-18
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2019-09-12
- Assignees: National Formosa University
- Applicants: Huan-Jung Lin; I-Chang Yang; Jie-Tong Zou; Suming Chen
- Inventors: Huan-Jung Lin; I-Chang Yang; Jie-Tong Zou; Suming Chen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440659B2

## CPC

- B64D 1/18: by spraying, e.g. insecticides
- A01C 21/005: {Following a specific plan, e.g. pattern}
- A01C 23/007: {Metering or regulating systems}
- A01C 23/047: {Spraying of liquid fertilisers}
- A01M 7/0042: {Field sprayers, e.g. self-propelled, drawn or tractor-mounted}
- A01M 7/0089: {Regulating or controlling systems (the delivery being related to the movement of a vehicle B05B9/06)}
- A01M 21/043: {by chemicals}
- G06V 20/17: taken from planes or by drones
- G06V 20/188: {Vegetation}
- B64U 10/14: with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
- B64U 60/50: with landing legs
- B64U 2101/30: for imaging, photography or videography
- B64U 2101/40: for agriculture or forestry operations
- B64U 2101/45: for releasing liquids or powders in-flight, e.g. crop-dusting
- B64U 2201/10: autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
- B64U 2201/20: Remote controls
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- A01C: PLANTING; SOWING; FERTILISING (parts, details or accessories of agricultural machines or implements, in general A01B51/00 - A01B75/00)
- A01M: CATCHING, TRAPPING OR SCARING OF ANIMALS (appliances for catching swarms or drone-catching A01K57/00; fishing A01K69/00 - {A01K99/00}; biocides, pest repellants or attractants A01N); APPARATUS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF NOXIOUS ANIMALS OR NOXIOUS PLANTS
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING
- B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR

## Abstract

A precision agriculture implementation method by UAV systems and artificial intelligence image processing technologies provides an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a wireless communication device, a central control unit, and a spray device and a multispectral camera installed to the UAV. The farming area is divided into an array of blocks. The central control unit controls the UAV to fly over the blocks according to navigation parameters and the multispectral camera to capture a multispectral image of each block. A projected leaf area index (PLAI) and a normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) of each block are calculated by the multispectral image, and a spray control mode of the spray device of the corresponding block is set according to the PLAI and NDVI. The spray device is controlled to spray a water solution, salt solution, fertilizer solution, and/or pesticide solution to the corresponding block according to the spray control mode.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A precision agriculture implementation method by UAV systems and artificial intelligence image processing technologies, comprising the steps of:
(a) providing an unmanned aerial vehicle, a wireless communication device and a central control unit, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle is installed with a spray device for spraying a water solution, a salt solution, a fertilizer solution, and/or a pesticide solution, and a multispectral camera;
(b) dividing a farming area planted with a plurality of strains of plants into an array of a plurality of blocks, wherein each block sets a plurality of navigation parameters including a center coordinate, and the central control unit set a flight path for controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle according to the navigation parameters of the plurality of blocks;
(c) controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle by the central control unit according to the flight path to sequentially fly over each block of the farming area, and controlling the multispectral camera to capture a multispectral image of each block which at least includes a green light, a red light, a red-edge and a near infrared light;
(d) transmitting the navigation parameters and the multispectral image of each block to the central control unit through the wireless communication device by the unmanned aerial vehicle;
(e) processing the multispectral image by the central control unit, calculating a projected leaf area index (PLAI) and a normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) by the multispectral image, and then setting a spray control mode of the spray device corresponding to the block according to the projected leaf area index and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI); wherein the projected leaf area index=the total projected leaf area of the plant/the plant area; the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI)=(near infrared light reflection amount ρNIR−red light reflection amount ρRED)/(near infrared light reflection amount ρNIR+red light reflection amount ρRED); and
(f) controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle by the central control unit to fly over the farming area sequentially according to the flight path and controlling the spray device to spray the water solution, salt solution, fertilizer solution, and/or pesticide solution to the block according to the spray control mode.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spray control mode includes a full open control mode for controlling a spray valve of the spray device to be in a full open status; and if the projected leaf area index is greater than or equal to 0.85 or the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) is greater than or equal to 0.75, then the spray control mode will be the full open control mode.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the spray control mode includes an open ratio control mode for opening the spray valve to a predetermined open ratio with respect to the full open status of the full open control mode; and if the projected leaf area index smaller than 0.85 or the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) smaller than 0.75, the spray control mode will be the open ratio control mode, and the predetermined open ratio is equal to the projected leaf area index divided by 0.85 or the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) divided by 0.75.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central control unit controls a short wave light source device of the unmanned aerial vehicle to illuminate each block, so that the multispectral image of each block captured by the multispectral camera includes a fluorescent image, and the central control unit obtains a fluorescence index/intensity according to the captured fluorescent image, and if the fluorescence index/intensity is greater than a predetermined value, then the spray device will be control to spray a water solution, a salt solution, a fertilizer solution, and/or a pesticide solution to the block according to the spray control mode.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein if the fluorescence index/intensity has a normalized fluorescence index/intensity greater than or equal to 0.3, then the spray device will be controlled to spray a water solution to the block according to the spray control mode.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the spray control mode includes a full open control mode for controlling the spray device to be set in a full open status, and if the normalized fluorescence index/intensity is greater than or equal to 0.4, then the spray device will be controlled to spray a water solution to the block according to the spray control mode, and the spray control mode is the full open control mode.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the short wave light source device illuminates each block at night.

### Claim 8 (depends on 4)

The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the central control unit bases on the fluorescence index/intensity to determine a water shortage, a fertilizer shortage, a salt shortage, or pest of the plurality of strains of plants, and if the fluorescence index/intensity is greater than or equal to the predetermined value, then the spray device will be controlled to spray a water solution, a salt solution, a fertilizer solution, and/or a pesticide solution to the block according to the spray control mode.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central control unit obtains a temperature value according to the captured multispectral image, and if the temperature value is greater than a predetermined temperature value, then the spray device will spray a water solution to the block according to the spray control mode.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the navigation parameters further include a serial number parameter, a speed parameter, a height parameter and an arrival time parameter of each block, and the central control unit controls the unmanned aerial vehicle to fly according to the serial number parameter, the speed parameter, the height parameter and the arrival time parameter.