Agricultural distribution device

A method of spreading granular material on an agricultural land with an agricultural distribution device, comprising the steps of:

• spreading the granular material onto the agricultural land by a plurality of spreading elements arranged on one of a plurality of support structures, the plurality of support structures being connected to a distribution linkage and each position of each support structure of the plurality of support structures is independently changeable by an adjustment device of a plurality of adjustment devices, each spreading element of the plurality of spreading elements including a telescopic feed line, each telescopic feed line being telescopically variable in length, to permit displacement of each spreading element of the plurality of spreading elements;
• detecting plant rows on the agricultural land by at least one camera, each camera of the at least one camera being associated with one support structure of the plurality of support structures;
• changing an impact area of the granular material dispensed by one or more of the spreading elements onto the agricultural land during a spreading process by the plurality of adjustment devices;
• controlling the adjustment device as a function of the plant rows, detected by the at least one camera-on the agricultural land, during the spreading process;
• and
• changing the relative position of the spreading elements of each support structure of the plurality of support structures independently from each of the other support structures based on the detection of plant rows by at least one associated camera of the at least one camera, the one associated camera being configured to detect plant rows on the agricultural land below the one support structure.

An agricultural distribution device, comprising:

• a plurality of spreading elements disposed on a distribution linkage and configured to spread granular material onto an agricultural land, each spreading element of the plurality of spreading elements including a telescopic feed line, each telescopic feed line is telescopically variable in length, to permit displacement of each spreading element of the plurality of spreading elements;
• at least one camera, the at least one camera being configured to detect plant rows on the agricultural land;
• a plurality of adjustment devices configured to change an impact area of the granular material dispensed by one or more of the spreading elements on the agricultural land during a spreading process;
• and
• a processor configured to control the adjustment the plurality of adjustment devices as a function of the plant rows on the agricultural land, detected by the camera, during the spreading process,
• wherein the processor is configured to measure, using the at least one camera, the distance between the detected plant rows on the agricultural land for each spreading element of the spreading elements respectively associated with each detected plant row of the plant rows,
• wherein the processor is configured to calculate an average distance in the horizontal direction between the detected plant rows on the agricultural land and each of the spreading elements respectively associated with each plant row of the plant rows,
• wherein the processor is configured to control the adjustment device such that the average distance in a horizontal direction between the detected plant rows and the spreading elements respectively associated with the plant rows is minimal, and
• wherein the processor is adapted to calculate a corresponding position for the spreading elements, taking into account the adjustment possibilities and relative positioning of individual spreading elements with respect to each other.