System for monitoring crops and soil conditions
AssigneeAker Technologies, Inc.
InventorsOrlando Saez, Tim Golly, Todd Golly
Life of this patent
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Abstract
According to an aspect, a system for monitoring crops and soil conditions below a crop canopy includes a retractable boom assembly adapted to be coupled to an unmanned aerial vehicle. Further according to this aspect, the boom assembly includes an actuator and an elongate probe is coupled to the retractable boom assembly. Still further, the system includes a controller for maneuvering the elongate probe below the crop canopy while the boom assembly is extended by the actuator.
Claims20
A system for monitoring crop conditions below a crop canopy, the monitoring system comprising:
- an unmanned aerial vehicle having a first inertial measurement unit;
- a probe coupled to the unmanned aerial vehicle, the probe including a sensor package and a second inertial measurement unit;
- a controller coupled to the unmanned aerial vehicle;
- and
- wherein the controller, the first inertial measurement unit, and the second inertial measurement unit operate together to position the probe between a ground surface in which the crops are planted and an upper level of the crop canopy for collection of crop data by the sensor package.
A system for aerial monitoring of crops, the system comprising:
- an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having at least one rotor arm that includes at least one propeller;
- a housing assembly operably coupled to the UAV and having:
- (i) a controller, (ii) a first inertial measurement unit, and (iii) a memory unit;
- a probe having a sensor package, the probe being operably connected to the UAV by a flexible connector having a length that minimizes unwanted displacement of crops being monitored from a downwardly directed force created by the propeller during flight of the UAV;
- wherein the controller, the first inertial measurement unit, and the memory unit operate together to:
- (i) provide autonomous control for at least an extent of a flight path of the UAV;
- and
- (ii) position the probe between a ground surface in which the crops are planted and an upper level of a crop canopy for collection of crop data by the sensor package.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.