Systems and methods for power line detection during spraying application and boom folding

A method of monitoring folding or unfolding of a sprayer boom assembly mounted on an agricultural machine, wherein the agricultural machine includes a chassis;

• the sprayer boom assembly with a center frame mounted for vertical movement on the chassis and laterally extendable right and left foldable and unfoldable booms connected to the center frame, each right and left boom comprising one or more boom sections, wherein the right or left booms are foldable or unfoldable in vertical direction;
• a sprayer boom controller;
• a first identification system mounted on the agricultural machine at a determinable position to transmit a predefined frequency radio signal;
• a second identification system mounted on the right boom;
• and a third identification system mounted on the left boom to receive the radio signal transmitted from the first identification system, the method comprising:
• storing predetermined positioning data of the sprayer boom assembly for discrete folding and unfolding positions of the right and left booms as reference distance values in the sprayer boom controller;
• transmitting the predefined frequency radio signal from the first identification system at a first point in time during folding or unfolding of the sprayer boom;
• receiving, by the second identification system during folding or unfolding of the sprayer boom, the predefined radio frequency signal transmitted from the first identification system at a second point in time;
• receiving, by the third identification system during folding or unfolding of the sprayer boom, the predefined radio frequency signal transmitted from the first identification system at a third point in time;
• calculating, using an integrated identification system controller, actual distance values between (i) the first and second identification systems based on a wavelength of the predefined radio frequency signal and a difference between the first and second points in time and (ii) the first and third identification systems based on the wavelength of the predefined radio frequency signal and a difference between the first and third points in time;
• transmitting information regarding the actual distance values from the integrated identification system controller to the sprayer boom controller;
• comparing, by the sprayer boom controller, the actual distance values with the predetermined positioning data, wherein the predetermined positioning data includes reference distance values between the first and second identification systems and the first and third identification systems for discrete folding and unfolding positions of the right and left booms;
• and
• stopping, via the sprayer boom controller, folding or unfolding of the sprayer boom assembly in response to exceeding or underrunning a tolerance value between the calculated actual distance and the reference distance values.