System and method for automated odometry calibration for precision agriculture systems

A method for calibrating a treatment mechanism physically mounted to a farming machine using a sensor physically mounted to the farming machine as the farming machine operates within a field, the method comprising:

• capturing, by the sensor, a first image of a first plant in the field, the first image comprising features indicative of a first treatment applied to the first plant by the treatment mechanism;
• determining, with a computer and based on the first image, a first timing delay between when the treatment mechanism was actuated to dispense the first treatment and when the first treatment was applied to the first plant by the treatment mechanism;
• capturing, by the sensor, a second image of a second plant in the field, the second image comprising features indicative of a second treatment applied to the second plant by the treatment mechanism;
• determining, by the computer and based on the second image, a second timing delay between when the treatment mechanism was actuated to dispense the second treatment and when the second treatment was applied to the second plant by the treatment mechanism;
• and
• responsive to determining a deviation between the first timing delay and the second timing delay, calibrating the treatment mechanism based on the deviation.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions for calibrating a treatment mechanism physically mounted to a farming machine that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

• capture, by the sensor, a first image of a first plant in the field, the first image comprising features indicative of a first treatment applied to the first plant by the treatment mechanism;
• determine, with a computer and based on the first image, a first timing delay between when the treatment mechanism was actuated to dispense the first treatment and when the first treatment was applied to the first plant by the treatment mechanism;
• capture, by the sensor, a second image of a second plant in the field, the second image comprising features indicative of a second treatment applied to the second plant by the treatment mechanism;
• determine, by the computer and based on the second image, a second timing delay between when the treatment mechanism was actuated to dispense the second treatment and when the second treatment was applied to the second plant by the treatment mechanism;
• and
• responsive to determining a deviation between the first timing delay and the second timing delay, calibrate the treatment mechanism based on the deviation.

A farming machine comprising:

• a sensor mounted to the farming machine;
• a treatment mounted to the farming machine;
• a processor;
• and
• a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions for calibrating a treatment mechanism physically mounted to a farming machine that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
• capture, by the sensor, a first image of a first plant in the field, the first image comprising features indicative of a first treatment applied to the first plant by the treatment mechanism;
• determine, with a computer and based on the first image, a first timing delay between when the treatment mechanism was actuated to dispense the first treatment and when the first treatment was applied to the first plant by the treatment mechanism;
• capture, by the sensor, a second image of a second plant in the field, the second image comprising features indicative of a second treatment applied to the second plant by the treatment mechanism;
• determine, by the computer and based on the second image, a second timing delay between when the treatment mechanism was actuated to dispense the second treatment and when the second treatment was applied to the second plant by the treatment mechanism;
• and
• responsive to determining a deviation between the first timing delay and the second timing delay, calibrate the treatment mechanism based on the deviation.