Autonomous crop monitoring system and method

Abstract

A system for autonomous crop monitoring includes a mobile platform configured to autonomously propel the system to a plurality of locations in a field of the crop and an imaging device. A leaf bending mechanism is configured to bend leaves of a crop plant in the field when an image of the crop plant is being acquired by the imaging device.

1 . A system for autonomous crop monitoring, the system comprising:
 a mobile platform configured to autonomously propel the system to a plurality of locations in a field of the crop;   an imaging device; and   a leaf bending mechanism configured to bend leaves of a crop plant in the field when an image of the crop plant is being acquired by the imaging device.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile platform comprises an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and the leaf bending mechanism comprises a rotor of the UAV, a controller of the UAV being configured to cause the UAV to fly over the field at an altitude that is sufficiently low above the crop plant such that a downwash from the rotor is sufficiently strong to bend the leaves and to concurrently operate the imaging device to acquire an image of the crop plant. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to cause the imaging device to autonomously acquire images along a path across the field that is determined on the basis of data that is related to one or more factors of a group of factors consisting of a likelihood of detection of infection in a region of the field, a location of the field to which treatment has been previously applied, and a direction of the sun. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile platform comprises a terrestrial platform, and wherein the leaf bending mechanism comprises a blower to direct an air flow at the crop plant whose image is being acquired. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the terrestrial platform comprises an irrigation machine. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , further comprising a dispenser that is configured to dispense a treatment substance on a region of the field. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein a controller of the system is configured to autonomously analyze images that are acquired by the imaging device to detect evidence of an infestation in a region of the field, and to cause the dispenser to dispense the treatment substance on that region of the field. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an illumination source to illuminate a field of view of the imaging device. 
     
     
         9 . A method of operation of system for autonomous crop monitoring, the method comprising, by a controller of the system:
 planning a path across a field of crop plants on the basis of a calculation of a likelihood of detection of infestation in different regions of the field;   causing a mobile platform of the system to travel along the planned path; and   operating an imaging device of the system to acquire images of the crop plants as the mobile platform travels along the planned path.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the mobile platform comprises a UAV, and wherein causing the mobile platform to travel along the planned path comprises causing the UAV to fly at an altitude that is sufficiently close to tops of the crop plants such that a downwash of a rotor of the UAV bends leaves of the crop plants. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the operating of the imaging device comprises acquiring images of higher resolution or at a higher density in a region of the field that is calculated by the controller to have a greater likelihood of infestation than other regions of the field. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the size of a region of increased likelihood of infestation about a location of a previously detected infestation increases with increased precipitation since an estimated onset of the detected infestation. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein a shape of a region of increased likelihood of infestation about a location of a previously detected infestation is elongated in direction of prevailing winds since an estimated onset of the detected infestation. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the mobile platform comprises a UAV, and wherein the planned path in a region of increased likelihood of infestation comprises a flight path in a raster pattern or a spiral pattern. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the mobile platform comprises a terrestrial platform, and wherein the planned path in a region of increased likelihood of infestation comprises movement of a field of view of the imaging device in a raster pattern or a spiral pattern. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein in the absence of a region of the field that is calculated by the controller to have a greater likelihood of infestation than other regions of the field, the operating of the imaging device comprises acquiring images of higher resolution or at higher density than in the remainder of the field in a plurality of inspection regions that are distributed throughout the field. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the mobile platform comprises a UAV, and wherein the calculated path comprises a flight path in a raster pattern over said remainder of the field. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the mobile platform comprises a UAV, and wherein the calculated path comprises a flight path in a zigzag pattern or spiral pattern over each inspection region. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising, when an infestation has been previously detected in the field, operating the system to acquire an image of a location of the previously detected infestation. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising analyzing the images that are acquired by the imaging device to count rows of crop plants to identify a row in which the infestation was detected, and to measure a displacement along that row to identify a position of the location along that row.