Agricultural drone for use in livestock monitoring

• US 10,321,663 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2015
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digi-Star LLC (Topcon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Digi-Star LLC (Topcon Corporation)
• Inventors: Horton, Christopher V., Vorpahl, Samuel R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Haque, Md N
• Application Number:
  US14/864,222
• Publication Number:
  US 20170086428A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,363 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/005 Monitoring or measuring activity, e.g. detecting heat or mating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/40 Animals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0008 Temperature signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0015 characterised by features of the telemetry system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0075 by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy A61B5/0071 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0077 Devices for viewing the surface of the body, e.g. camera, magnifying lens
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6887 mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6896 Toys
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/87 Mounting of imaging devices, e.g. mounting of gimbals
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/31 for surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/40 for agriculture or forestry operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

A method and system utilizing one or more agricultural drones to improve the real-time monitoring, measuring and analysis of the health of livestock, in particular, the core body temperatures thereof.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a plurality of livestock, the method comprising:

collecting real-time information specific to at least one livestock of the plurality of livestock from a first agricultural drone flying over the plurality of livestock, and wherein the real-time information specific to the at least one livestock collected includes image data of the at least one livestock;

collecting real-time information with respect to a feedlot associated with the at least one livestock, and wherein the real-time information with respect to the feedlot collected includes a plurality of adverse conditions, and wherein at least one of the adverse conditions of the plurality of adverse conditions is impacting the health of the at least one livestock, the at least one of the adverse conditions being a wind condition, a rain condition, or a heat condition;

analyzing, by the first agricultural drone and based on the real-time information specific to the at least one livestock collected and the real-time information with respect to the feedlot collected, at least one physiological parameter to ascertain the physiological state of the at least one livestock, the at least one physiological parameter being a current core temperature associated with the at least one livestock;

determining, by the first agricultural drone, whether the current core temperature is outside a normal temperature range associated with the at least one livestock, and if so, generating a first warning signal that the at least one livestock is exhibiting the current core temperature that is outside the normal temperature range; and

transmitting the real-time information specific to the at least one livestock collected and the real-time information with respect to the feedlot collected and the first warning signal specific to the at least one livestock in real-time from the first agricultural drone for monitoring the at least one physiological state of the at least one livestock of the plurality of livestock.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

measuring, by the first agricultural drone, at least one other physiological parameter of the at least one least livestock, the at least one other physiological parameter included in the collected information; and

transmitting the at least one other physiological parameter measured as part of the collected information.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving the real-time information specific to the at least one livestock collected and the real-time information with respect to the feedlot collected and the first warning signal at a livestock management control center; and

sending, from the livestock management control center, a remote communication to the first agricultural drone, the remote communication directing the first agricultural drone to further analyze the at least one livestock.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

collecting real-time information specific to at least one other livestock of the plurality of livestock from a second agricultural drone, and wherein the real-time information specific to the at least one other livestock collected includes image data of the at least one other livestock, and the second agricultural drone flying contemporaneously with the first agricultural drone;

collecting real-time information with respect to a feedlot associated with the at least one other livestock, and wherein the real-time information with respect to the feedlot collected includes a plurality of adverse conditions, and wherein at least one of the adverse conditions of the plurality of adverse conditions is impacting the health of the at least one other livestock, the at least one of the adverse conditions being a wind condition, a rain condition, or a heat condition;

analyzing, by the second agricultural drone and based on the real-time information specific to the at least one other livestock collected and the real-time information with respect to the feedlot collected by second agricultural drone, at least one physiological parameter to ascertain the physiological state of the at least one other livestock, the at least one physiological parameter being a current core temperature associated with the at least one other livestock;

determining, by the second agricultural drone, whether the current core temperature is outside a normal temperature range associated with the at least one other livestock, and if so, generating a second warning signal that the at least one other livestock is exhibiting the current core temperature that is outside the normal temperature range; and

transmitting the real-time information specific to the at least one other livestock collected and the real-time information with respect to the feedlot collected and the second warning signal specific to the at least one other livestock in real-time from the second agricultural drone for monitoring at least one physiological state of the at least one other livestock.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

measuring, by the second agricultural drone, at least one physiological parameter of the at one other least one other livestock, the at least one physiological parameter included in the collected information; and

transmitting the at least one physiological parameter measured as part of the collected information specific to the at least one other livestock.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the real-time information specific to the at least one other livestock collected is transmitted in real-time from the second agricultural drone to at least one feed truck traversing a feedlot associated with the plurality of livestock.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the image data includes a thermal image of the at least one livestock.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the collected information includes a location of the at least one livestock.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein the transmitting the information specific to the at least one livestock collected and the real-time information with respect to the feedlot collected and the first warning signal specific to the at least one livestock is to the livestock management control center.

10. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

isolating the at least one livestock based on the real-time information specific to the at least one livestock collected.

11. The method of claim 3 wherein the plurality of livestock are associated with a feedlot.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the image data includes a photographic image of the at least one livestock.

13. The method of claim 6 wherein the at least one feed truck is traversing the feedlot contemporaneously with the flying of the first agricultural drone and the second agricultural drone.

14. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

receiving, by the first agricultural drone, the remote communication;

transmitting, by the first agricultural drone, a real-time color photographic image of the at least one livestock conveying a current physical state of the at least one livestock; and

determining, using the real-time color photographic image, whether a corrective action is necessary with respect to the at least one livestock.

15. A system for monitoring a plurality of livestock, the system comprising:

a first agricultural drone configured to fly over the plurality of livestock, and to (i) collect real-time information specific to at least one livestock of the plurality of livestock and wherein the real-time information specific to the at least one livestock collected includes image data of the at least one livestock, and real-time information with respect to a feedlot associated with the at least one livestock and wherein the real-time information with respect to the feedlot collected includes a plurality of adverse conditions, and wherein at least one of the adverse conditions of the plurality of adverse conditions is impacting the health of the at least one livestock, the at least one of the adverse conditions being a wind condition, a rain condition, or a heat condition, (ii) analyze, from the collected real-time information specific to the at least one livestock and the real-time information with respect to the feedlot at least one physiological parameter to ascertain the physiological state of the at least one livestock, the at least one physiological parameter being a current core temperature associated with the at least one livestock, (iii) determine whether the current core temperature is outside a normal temperature range associated with the at least one livestock, and if so, generate a first warning signal that the at least one livestock is exhibiting the current core temperature that is outside the normal temperature range, and (iv) transmit the collected real-time information specific to the at least one livestock and the real-time information with respect to the feedlot and the first warning signal specific to the at least one livestock in real-time from the first agricultural drone for monitoring at least one physiological state of the at least one livestock.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein a livestock management control center is configured to (i) receive the collected information, the real-time information with respect to a feedlot associated with the at least one livestock and the first warning signal specific to the at least one livestock from the first agricultural done in real-time, (ii) transmit a remote communication to the first agricultural drone, the remote communication directing the first agricultural drone to further study the at least one livestock, (iii) receive a color photographic image from the first agricultural drone in response to the remote communication, (iv) and determine if any corrective action is necessary based on the collected information and the color photographic image specific to the at least one livestock from the first agricultural drone.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the first agricultural drone is further configured to measure at least one physiological parameter of the at least one least livestock, and transmit the at least one physiological parameter measured as part of the collected information.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the livestock management control center is further configured to compare the current color photographic image of the at least one livestock to one or more previously stored color images of the at least one livestock.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the corrective action is determined based on the comparison of the current color photographic image to the one or more previously stored color images.

20. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

a second agricultural drone configured to fly over the plurality of livestock, and to (i) collect real-time information specific to at least one other livestock of the plurality of livestock and wherein the real-time information specific to the at least one livestock collected includes image data of the at least one livestock, and real-time information with respect to a feedlot associated with the at least one other livestock, wherein the real-time information with respect to the feedlot collected includes a plurality of adverse conditions, and wherein at least one of the adverse conditions of the plurality of adverse conditions is impacting the health of the at least one other livestock, the at least one of the adverse conditions being a wind condition, a rain condition, or a heat condition, (ii) analyze, from the collected real-time information specific to the at least one other livestock and the real-time information with respect to the feedlot at least one physiological parameter to ascertain the physiological state of the at least one other livestock, the at least one physiological parameter being a current core temperature associated with the at least one other livestock, (iii) determine whether the current core temperature is outside a normal temperature range associated with the at least one other livestock, and if so, generate a second warning signal that the at least one other livestock is exhibiting the current core temperature that is outside the normal temperature range, and (iv) transmit the collected real-time information and the second warning signal specific to the at least one other livestock in real-time from the second agricultural drone for monitoring a physiological state of the at least one other livestock.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the first agricultural drone and the second agricultural drone are configured to fly contemporaneously.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein at least one feed truck of a plurality of feed trucks receives the collected information specific to the at least one other livestock from the second agricultural drone in real-time.

23. The system of claim 20 wherein the first agricultural drone and the second agricultural drone are configured to communicate with each other.

24. The system of claim 17 wherein the first agricultural drone is further configured to capture a thermal image of the at least one livestock and determine the current core temperature therefrom.

25. The system of claim 20 wherein the second agricultural drone is further configured to capture a thermal image of the at least one livestock and determine the current core temperature therefrom.

26. A method for operating an agricultural drone, the method comprising:

flying the agricultural drone over a plurality of livestock;

collecting real-time information specific to the plurality of livestock from the agricultural drone, and wherein the real-time information specific to at least one livestock collected includes image data of the at least one livestock;

collecting real-time information with respect to a feedlot associated with the plurality of livestock, wherein the real-time information with respect to the feedlot collected includes a plurality of adverse conditions, and wherein at least one of the adverse conditions of the plurality of adverse conditions is impacting the health of the at least one livestock, the at least one of the adverse conditions being a wind condition, a rain condition, or a heat condition;

analyzing, by the agricultural drone using the real-time information specific to the at least one livestock collected and the real-time information with respect to the feedlot collected, at least one physiological parameter to ascertain the physiological state of at least one livestock of the plurality of livestock, the at least one physiological parameter being a current core temperature associated with the at least one livestock;

determining, by the agricultural drone, whether the current core temperature is outside a normal temperature range associated with the at least one livestock, and if so, generating a warning signal that the at least one livestock is exhibiting the current core temperature that is outside the normal temperature range; and

transmitting, by the agricultural drone, the real-time information specific to the at least one livestock collected and the real-time information with respect to the feedlot collected and the warning signal specific to the plurality of livestock in real-time from the agricultural drone for monitoring the health of the at least one livestock and particular other ones of the livestock of the plurality of livestock.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

measuring, by the agricultural drone, at least one physiological parameter of the particular ones of the livestock, the at least one physiological parameter included in the collected information; and

transmitting the at least one physiological parameter measured for the particular ones of the livestock as part of the collected information.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

receiving a remote communication, the remote communication directing the agricultural drone to further study the at least one livestock; and

transmitting, in response to the remote communication received, a current color photographic image of the at least one livestock.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising:

isolating one or more of the particular ones of livestock based on the collected information.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the image data includes thermal images of the particular ones of the livestock.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the image data includes photographic images of the particular ones of the livestock.

32. The method of claim 28 further comprising:

determining a corrective action specific to the at least one livestock based on a comparison of the current color photographic image of the at least one livestock to one or more previously stored color images of the at least one livestock.