Sprayer control based on predictive crop characteristics

A computer implemented method of controlling a mobile agricultural sprayer comprising:

• receiving an information map that maps values of a characteristic to different geographic locations in a worksite;
• detecting, with an in-situ sensor, a value of a crop characteristic corresponding to a geographic location at the worksite while a mobile agricultural sprayer is operating at the worksite;
• generating a predictive model indicative of a relationship between values of the characteristic and values of the crop characteristic based on the value of the crop characteristic detected by the in-situ sensor corresponding to the geographic location and the value of the characteristic in the information map at the geographic location;
• controlling a predictive map generator to generate the functional predictive map of the worksite that maps predictive values of the crop characteristic to the different locations in the worksite based on the values of the characteristic in the information map and the predictive model;
• and
• generating, based on the functional predictive map, control signals to control one or more of:
• a propulsion subsystem of the mobile agricultural sprayer;
• a machine height subsystem of the mobile agricultural sprayer;
• and
• a boom height subsystem of the mobile agricultural sprayer.

A mobile agricultural sprayer comprising:

• a communication system that receives an information map that maps values of a characteristic to different geographic locations in a worksite;
• an in-situ crop characteristic sensor that detects a value of a crop characteristic corresponding to a geographic location;
• one or more processors;
• and
• a data store configured to store computer executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, are configured to configure the one or more processors to:
• generate a predictive crop characteristic model indicative of a relationship between values of the characteristic and values of the crop characteristic based on the value of the characteristic in the information map at the geographic location and the value of the crop characteristic, detected by the in-situ crop characteristic sensor corresponding to the geographic location;
• generate a functional predictive crop characteristic map of the worksite that maps predictive values of the crop characteristic to the different geographic locations in the worksite, based on the values of the characteristic in the information map at those different geographic locations and based on the predictive crop characteristic model;
• and
• generate, based on the functional predictive crop characteristic map, control signals to control one or more of:
• a propulsion subsystem of the mobile agricultural sprayer;
• a machine height subsystem of the mobile agricultural sprayer;
• and
• a boom height subsystem of the mobile agricultural sprayer.