System and method for monitoring sensor performance on an agricultural machine

A method for monitoring sensor performance on an agricultural machine, the method comprising:

• receiving, with a computing device, the plurality of images from the vision-based sensor;
• determining, with the computing device, an image parameter value associated with each of a plurality of pixels contained within each of the plurality of images;
• for each respective pixel of the plurality of pixels, determining, with the computing device, a variance associated with the image parameter values for the respective pixel across the plurality of images;
• and
• when the variance associated with the image parameter values for a given pixel of the plurality of pixels falls outside of a predetermined range, identifying, with the computing device, the given pixel as being at least one of obscured or inoperative;
• determining, with the computing device, when the vision-based sensor is obscured or inoperative based on a number or a density of individual pixels of the plurality of pixels that have been identified as being obscured or inoperative;
• and
• initiating, with the computing device, a control action when it is determined that the vision-based sensor is obscured or inoperative.