Aerial deployment planting methods and systems
First Claim
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1. An aerial deployment planting system comprising:
- a first propagule capsule configured to contain one or more propagules and to be supported by an unmanned vehicle, said first propagule capsule comprising;
one or more absorbent below-ground-moisture collectors including a first absorbent below-ground-moisture collector;
one or more artificial moisture-transfer conduits; and
a first substrate configured to support said one or more artificial moisture-transfer conduits adjacent said one or more propagules and to allow below-ground seepage from said one or more absorbent below-ground-moisture collectors that extend more than 0.2 millimeters (mm) below a ground surface to flow by wicking via said one or more artificial moisture-transfer conduits to said one or more propagules, wherein a dry weight majority of at least one of said one or more artificial moisture-transfer conduits is dehydrated compressed peat or another growing medium configured to undergo a volumetric expansion of more than 20% when hydrated, wherein an exterior surface of said first propagule capsule includes a soil-contacting portion of said first absorbent below-ground-moisture collector larger than 1 square centimeter and configured to absorb more than 5 microliters of liquid per hour directly from surrounding soil by wicking, wherein an endmost portion longer than 0.5 mm of said first propagule capsule has a footprint of about 2 square mm, wherein said first propagule capsule is less than 5% water by weight, and wherein said one or more propagules comprise a dormant seed of a tree.
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Abstract
Methods and systems are presented for making good use of recently obtained biometric data and for configuring propagule capsules for deployment via an unmanned vehicle so that each has an improved chance of survival.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. An aerial deployment planting system comprising:
a first propagule capsule configured to contain one or more propagules and to be supported by an unmanned vehicle, said first propagule capsule comprising; one or more absorbent below-ground-moisture collectors including a first absorbent below-ground-moisture collector; one or more artificial moisture-transfer conduits; and a first substrate configured to support said one or more artificial moisture-transfer conduits adjacent said one or more propagules and to allow below-ground seepage from said one or more absorbent below-ground-moisture collectors that extend more than 0.2 millimeters (mm) below a ground surface to flow by wicking via said one or more artificial moisture-transfer conduits to said one or more propagules, wherein a dry weight majority of at least one of said one or more artificial moisture-transfer conduits is dehydrated compressed peat or another growing medium configured to undergo a volumetric expansion of more than 20% when hydrated, wherein an exterior surface of said first propagule capsule includes a soil-contacting portion of said first absorbent below-ground-moisture collector larger than 1 square centimeter and configured to absorb more than 5 microliters of liquid per hour directly from surrounding soil by wicking, wherein an endmost portion longer than 0.5 mm of said first propagule capsule has a footprint of about 2 square mm, wherein said first propagule capsule is less than 5% water by weight, and wherein said one or more propagules comprise a dormant seed of a tree. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. An aerial deployment planting system comprising:
a first propagule capsule configured to contain one or more propagules and to be supported by an unmanned vehicle, said first propagule capsule comprising; one or more absorbent below-ground-moisture collectors including a first absorbent below-ground-moisture collector; one or more artificial moisture-transfer conduits; and a first substrate configured to support said one or more artificial moisture-transfer conduits adjacent said one or more propagules and to allow below-ground seepage from said one or more absorbent below-ground-moisture collectors that extend more than 0.2 millimeters (mm) below a ground surface to flow by wicking via said one or more artificial moisture-transfer conduits to said one or more propagules. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An aerial deployment planting method comprising:
configuring a first propagule capsule to contain one or more propagules and to be deployed by an unmanned vehicle by assembling a first absorbent below-ground-moisture collector, one or more artificial moisture-transfer conduits, and a first substrate configured to support said one or more artificial moisture-transfer conduits adjacent said one or more propagules, wherein said one or more absorbent below-ground-moisture collectors are configured to allow below-ground seepage more than 0.2 millimeters below a ground surface to flow by wicking via said one or more artificial moisture-transfer conduits to said one or more propagules.
Specification