UAS in Agriculture

John NowatzkiExtension Ag Machine Systems Specialist

Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Crop Production

Livestock Production

UAS in Agriculture What are UAS?

Impacts of ND Test SiteTypical EquipmentUAS in Agriculture TodayCurrent US Regulations2014 UAS at NDSU/UNDCurrent ND Commercial ActivityFuture of UAV in AgriculturePrivacy Issues

Impacts of North Dakota Test Site

• Allow the FAA to develop research and operational experiences

• Help ensure the safe integration of UAS into the nation's airspace – “sense and avoid,” – command and control, – ground control standards– human factors– airworthiness– lost link procedures– interface with the air traffic control

FAA Test Site

• University of Alaska• standards for unmanned aircraft categories, and state monitoring

• State of Nevada– operator standards and certification requirements

• New York’s Griffiss International Airport– test and evaluation

• North Dakota Department of Commerce– airworthiness data and validate high reliability link technology

• Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi– safety requirements for UAS vehicles

• Virginia Tech– UAS failure mode testing and technical risks areas

Air Vehicle

Control Station

Antenna(s)

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What “is” a UAS?Generally speaking…

What are Unmanned Aircraft Systems?

What

What are UAS for Agriculture? Small Unmanned Aircraft

18” – 10’Remote controlled or Auto-pilotUnder 1000’Cameras: Digital Images, Video, Thermal

• Weight = 2 to 6 pounds• Wing span = 2 to 8 feet• Battery powered• Various Cameras

UAS

Equipment E382 Fixed Wing Package $2,000• Skywalker Airframe, 188cm Wingspan• ArduPilot Mega 2.5 Autopilot

– Includes GPS, IMU, Pressure Sensor and Flight Data Log• SX260 HS Camera with CHDK Installed• 3DR Telemetry Radios• Remote Control Unit• Battery & Charger• 4 Extra Batteries

• http://www.event38.com/

Typical Equipment Aphex Hexacopter Camera $ 2,000

• NX1000 Camera and Mount• Remote Control Unit• Telemetry:3DR Radios, Air and Ground, • Batteries • Battery Charger• Spare Parts:• 5 Propeller Pairs• 2 Arms• 2 Legs• 1 Motor

• http://www.event38.com/

Typical Equipment Aparotors - Kit: $3800• Multi-rotor kit fully assembled• Radio controller and receiver• Stabilized Camera Gimbal• 2 batteries (flight time 10 min / battery)• Battery Charger (25 minutes)• Camera GoPro3 with 8GB card

– http://aparotors.com/

Equipment Precision Scout - Kit: $17,500• Real-time live feed recorded and streamed to the ground• GPS location and proper flight orientation• communication fails, will safely return home• •Controller •GPS Unit• •Hi-resolution Video/Still Camera •Telemetry• •Dual Battery Charger •6 Batteries• •16gb micro SD memory card •Lifetime Protective Case

• http://aparotors.com/

Equipment SensFly eBee Package $35,000• Case with foam protection• 1 eBee central body• 1 pair of wings • 10 spare propellers• 2 Lithium-Polymer battery packs• Lithium-Polymer battery charger • 2.4 GHz USB radio modem• 1 remote control • 1 still camera• 1 USB cable for interfacing with camera and on-board autopilot

https://www.sensefly.com/

Typical Equipment

Trimble UX5 Aerial Imaging Rover ($50,000)• EPP foam; carbon frame structure• Electric pusher propeller; brushless 700 W

motor• 14.8 V, 6000 mAh battery• 16.1 MP mirrorless APSC camera• 0.94 - 9.4 in image resolutionhttp://www.trimble.com/Survey/ux5.aspx

Typical Equipment Multi-spectral Camera ($3,800)• Size 4.5 x 3.0 x 0.9 in. • Weight 3.53 oz.• Visible light and near-infrared

wavelengths• Software: PixelWrench2, processing

multispectral images of crops

• http://fieldofviewllc.com/

Typical Equipment Thermal Imaging Camera ($10,000)

• Thermal Imager - Uncooled VOx Microbolometer

• Spectral Band 7.5 - 13.5 μm• Time to Image ~4.0 sec• Size (w/o lens) 1.75" x 1.75" x 1.18"• RS-232 Compatible Communication 57,600 &

921,600 baud• Image Processing & Display Controls NTSC/PAL

(field switchable)

• http://www.flir.com/US/

Thermal ImagingTakes a Crop’s Temperature

Plants Absorb and Reflect Light Red Absorbed, NIR Reflected

• Locating insect Infestations

• Early Disease Pressure

• Under-irrigated Field Sections.

Multispectral Imaging

Plants Absorb and Reflect Light Red Absorbed, NIR Reflected

• 231 images geo-referenced• Pseudocolor mosaic• Normalized Difference Vegetation

Index (NDVI) mosaic

PrecisionAg Payload

Data Processing Software Agisoft PhotoScan ($3,800)• Aerial Triangulation• Polygonal Model Generation (plain / textured)• Setting Coordinate System• Geo-referenced Digital Elevation Model (DEM)

Generation• Geo-referenced Orthophoto Generation

• http://fieldofviewllc.com/

Current FAA Rules

• Private, Recreation Use• On-farm?

• University: Certificate of Authorization• Airframe• Location• Operator• Dates • 6-9 Months

NDSU Carrington Research Center• Valid Uses of UAS in Ag

– Crop Research– Livestock Research

• Feedlot Bedding Materials• Animal Body Temperatures

UAS at NDSU and UNDProof of Concept

NDSU – UND Collaborations

Agricultural Research School of AerospaceResearch Extension Centers UAS CenterExtension Service Remote Sensing

Commercial Service in 2014 • North Country Ag Services - Kris Poulson

– Contract to fly fields on schedule, or when requested– Purchased UTC Aerospace Systems – will manufacture UAS– Quad and Fixed wing– Process data

• Field of View– Cameras and Sensors– Training– Image Analyses

Potential Applications

• Near Real-time Crop Monitoring• In-season Fertilization• Pest Location and Movements• Weed Infestations

• Monitoring Livestock on Rangeland• Others …….....................• ……………………………• ……………………………

Privacy• Who Regulates UAS?• Illegal Uses• Who Owns the Images• Other Issues

Megan’s First UAS Operation

The End of Megan’s First UAS Operation!

UAS Mapping Vegetationhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bgbp9Vj2t4

Questions - Comments

Office 701-231-8213 Cell 701-261-9842

John.Nowatzki@ndsu.edu

http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/agmachinery