SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AGRICULTURAL MONITORING

• US 20170374323A1
• Filed: 12/02/2015
• Published: 12/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: A.A.A. Taranis-Visual Ltd.
• Original Assignee: A.A.A. Taranis-Visual Ltd.
• Inventors: GORNIK, Amihay
• Granted Patent: US 10,182,214 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/005 Precision agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 79/02 combined with other agricultural processing, e.g. fertilising, planting
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/40 for agriculture or forestry operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10032 Satellite or aerial image; Remote sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30188 Vegetation; Agriculture
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30232 Surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0004 Industrial image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/685 performed by mechanical compensation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

An agricultural monitoring system, the agricultural monitoring system comprising: an imaging sensor, configured and operable to acquire image data at submillimetric image resolution of parts of an agricultural area in which crops grow, when the imaging sensor is airborne; a communication module, configured and operable to transmit to an external system image data content which is based on the image data acquired by the airborne imaging sensor; and a connector operable to connect the imaging sensor and the communication module to an airborne platform.

Claims

1. A method for agricultural monitoring, the method comprising:

flying an airborne imaging sensor along a flight path over an agricultural area in which crops grow;

acquiring by the airborne imaging sensor image data of parts of the agricultural area, wherein the acquiring of the image data is executed at a set of imaging locations along the flight path which enable acquisition of the image data at submillimetric image resolution; and

transmitting to an external system image data content which is based on the image data acquired by the airborne imaging sensor.

2. The method according to claim 1, the method comprising transmitting the image data content to the external system for displaying to an agronomist at a remote location agronomic image data which is based on the image data content, thereby enabling the agronomist to remotely analyze the agricultural area.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the flight path is a terrain following flight path.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the acquiring comprise acquiring image data at the set of imaging locations while flying the airborne imaging sensor along the imaging locations at velocities which do not fall below 50% of the average speed of the airborne platform along the flight path.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the acquiring comprises mechanically moving at least one component of the airborne imaging sensor with respect to a carrying airborne platform, for compensating for the motion of the airborne imaging sensor with respect to the crops during the acquiring.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the acquiring comprises:

mechanically rotating at least one optical component of the airborne imaging sensor with respect to a carrying airborne platform, for compensating for the motion of the airborne imaging sensor with respect to the crops during the acquiring; and

concurrently to the rotation of the at least one optical component, for each frame out of a plurality of frames of the image data;

initiating a focusing process of the imaging sensor when an acquisition optical axis is at a degree wider than 20°

from the vertical axis, and acquiring the image data using vertical imaging, when the acquisition optical axis is at a degree smaller than 20°

from the vertical axis.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein the acquiring comprises illuminating the crops during the acquiring, for compensating for the motion of the airborne imaging sensor with respect to the crops during the acquiring.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein flying comprises flying the airborne imaging sensor along a flight path which extends over at least a first agricultural property of a first owner and a second agricultural property of a second owner other than the first owner, wherein the method comprises acquiring first image data of parts of first agricultural property and acquiring second image data of parts of the second agricultural property;

generating first image data content based on the first image data and generating second image data content based on the second image data;

for providing the first image data content to a first entity in a first message, and for providing the second data content to a second entity in a second message.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the acquiring comprises acquiring image data of parts of the agricultural area which are inaccessible to land vehicles.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein flying comprises flying the imaging sensor by an agricultural aircraft which is configured for aerial application of crop protection products.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising selecting aerial application parameters for aerial application of crop protection products by the agricultural aircraft based on processing of the image data.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the set of imaging locations along the flight path are located less than 20 meters above the top of the crops growing in the agricultural area.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting is followed by subsequent instance of the flying, the acquiring and the transmitting, wherein the method further comprises planning a path for the subsequent instance of flying, based on the image data acquired in a previous instance of acquiring.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising applying computerized processing algorithms to the image data content for detecting leaves diseases or indication of parasites effect on the leaves, in one or more plants in the agricultural area.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the flying, the acquiring and the transmitting are reiterated over multiple weeks, wherein the method further comprises processing image data acquired at different times over the multiple weeks, for determining growth parameters for the plants in the agricultural area.

16. The method according to claim 1, further comprising applying computerized processing algorithms to the image data for identifying selected agronomic significant data, and generating agronomic image data for transmission to a remote system based on the selected agronomic significant data.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising applying computerized processing algorithms to the selected agronomic significant data for selecting, out of a plurality of possible recipients, a recipient for the agronomic image data, based on agronomic expertise of the possible recipients.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the flying is preceded by defining a surveillance flight plan for an airborne surveillance system, the surveillance flight plan comprising acquisition locations plan indicative of a plurality of imaging locations, wherein the flying of the airborne sensor is part of flying the airborne surveillance system along a flight path over an agricultural area, based on the surveillance flight plan.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein the flight path is a terrain following flight path;

wherein flying comprises flying the imaging sensor by an agricultural aircraft which is configured for aerial application of crop protection products;

wherein the set of imaging locations along the flight path are located less than 20 meters above the top of the crops growing in the agricultural area;

wherein the acquiring comprises;

(a) acquiring image data at the set of imaging locations while flying the airborne imaging sensor along the imaging locations at velocities which do not fall below 50% of the average speed of the airborne platform along the flight path; and

(b) compensating for the motion of the airborne imaging sensor with respect to the crops during the acquiring, by illuminating the crops during the acquiring and by mechanically moving at least one component of the airborne imaging sensor with respect to a carrying airborne platform;

wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting the image data content to the external system for displaying to an agronomist at a remote location agronomic image data which is based on the image data content, thereby enabling the agronomist to remotely analyze the agricultural area;

wherein the method further comprises;

prior to the flying, defining a surveillance flight plan for an airborne surveillance system, the surveillance flight plan comprising acquisition locations plan indicative of a plurality of imaging locations, wherein the flying of the airborne sensor is part of flying the airborne surveillance system along a flight path over an agricultural area, based on the surveillance flight plan.

20. A method for agricultural monitoring, the method comprising:

defining a surveillance flight plan for an airborne surveillance system, the surveillance flight plan comprising acquisition locations plan indicative of a plurality of imaging locations;

based on the surveillance flight plan, flying the airborne surveillance system along a flight path over an agricultural area in which crops grow;

based on the acquisition locations plan, acquiring during the flight by the airborne surveillance system image data of parts of the agricultural area at submillimetric image resolution; and

transmitting to an external system image data content which is based on the image data acquired by the airborne surveillance system.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the defining of the surveillance flight plan is preceded by receiving surveillance requests associated with a plurality of independent entities, and comprises defining the surveillance flight plan to indicate imaging locations for crops of each of the plurality of independent entities.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein the agricultural area comprises a plurality of fields in which at least two types of crops grow, wherein the defining of the surveillance flight plan comprises defining different acquisition parameters for imaging locations associated with different types of crops.

23. A method for monitoring of a ground area, the method comprising:

defining a surveillance flight plan for an airborne surveillance system, the surveillance flight plan comprising acquisition locations plan indicative of a plurality of imaging locations;

based on the surveillance flight plan, flying the airborne surveillance system along a flight path over the ground area;

based on the acquisition locations plan, acquiring during the flight by the airborne surveillance system image data of parts of the ground area at submillimetric image resolution; and

transmitting to an external system image data content which is based on the image data acquired by the airborne surveillance system.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the ground area comprises different types of soil, wherein the acquiring comprises acquiring image data of different locations in the ground area, for generating a soil map of the ground area.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein the acquiring comprises acquiring image data which is indicative of material composition of different locations in the ground area.

26. The method according to claim 23, wherein the acquiring comprises acquiring image data which is indicative of agricultural preparedness level of different locations in the ground area.

27. An agricultural monitoring system, the agricultural monitoring system comprising:

an imaging sensor, configured and operable to acquire image data at submillimetric image resolution of parts of an agricultural area in which crops grow, when the imaging sensor is airborne;

a communication module, configured and operable to transmit to an external system image data content which is based on the image data acquired by the airborne imaging sensor; and

a connector operable to connect the imaging sensor and the communication module to an airborne platform.

28. The agricultural monitoring system according to claim 27, further comprising an airborne areal platform which is operable to fly the airborne imaging sensor along a flight path over an agricultural area.

29. The agricultural monitoring system according to claim 27, wherein the imaging sensor is configured and operable to acquire the image data at altitude smaller than 20 meters above the top of the crops growing in the agricultural area.

30. The agricultural monitoring system according to claim 27, wherein the imaging sensor is configured and operable to acquire the image data while flown at velocities which exceed 10 m/s.

31. The agricultural monitoring system according to claim 30, comprising at least one mechanical coupling which couples at least one component of the imaging sensor to an engine, by which motion of the engine mechanically moves the at least one component of the imaging sensor with respect to the airborne platform concurrently to the acquisition of image data by the imaging sensor.

32. The agricultural monitoring system according to claim 30, comprising an engine operable to mechanically rotate at least one optical component of the imaging sensor with respect to the airborne platform, for compensating for the motion of the imaging sensor with respect to the crops during the acquiring;

wherein the imaging sensor is configured and operable to;

(a) initiate a focusing process concurrently to the rotation of the at least one optical component when an acquisition optical axis is at a degree wider than 20°

from the vertical axis, and (b) acquire the image data using vertical imaging, when the acquisition optical axis is at a degree smaller than 20°

from the vertical axis.

33. The agricultural monitoring system according to claim 30, further comprising an illumination unit, configured and operable to illuminate the crops during acquisition of image data by the imaging sensor.

34. The agricultural monitoring system according to claim 27, further comprising a processor which is configured and operable to process the image data content for detecting leaves diseases or indication of parasites effect on the leaves in one or more plants in the agricultural area.

35. The agricultural monitoring system according to claim 27, further comprising a processor which is configured and operable to process the image data content for identifying selected agronomic significant data, and to generate agronomic image data for transmission to a remote system based on the selected agronomic significant data.

36. A method for agricultural monitoring, the method comprising:

receiving image data content which is based on image data of an agricultural area, wherein the image data is a submillimetric image resolution image data acquired by an airborne imaging sensor at a set of imaging locations along a flight path extending over the agricultural area;

processing the image data content to generate agronomic data which includes agronomic image data; and

transmitting the agronomic data to an end-user remote system.

37. The method according to claim 36, wherein the processing comprises analyzing the image data content for identifying selected agronomic significant data within the image data content;

and processing the agronomic significant data to provide the agronomic data.

38. The method according to claim 36, wherein the processing comprises applying computerized processing algorithms to the image data content for detecting leaves diseases or indication of parasites effect on the leaves in one or more plants in the agricultural area.

39. The method according to claim 36, wherein the receiving comprises receiving image data content of the agricultural area acquired at different days, wherein the processing comprises processing the image data content for determining growth parameters for the plants in the agricultural area.

40. The method according to claim 36, further comprising applying computerized processing algorithms to agronomic data for selecting, out of a plurality of possible recipients, a recipient for the agronomic image data, based on agronomic expertise of the possible recipients.

41. The method according to claim 36, wherein the image data content comprises first image data content of a first agricultural property of a first owner, and second image data content of a second agricultural property of a second owner other than the first owner;

wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting the first image data content in a first message, and transmitting the second data content in a second message.

42. The method according to claim 36, wherein the image data content is based on image data acquired at a set of imaging locations along the flight path which are located less than 20 meters above the top of the crops growing in the agricultural area.

43. A method for monitoring of ground area, the method comprising:

receiving image data content which is based on image data of the ground area, wherein the image data is a submillimetric image resolution image data acquired by an airborne imaging sensor at a set of imaging locations along a flight path extending over the ground area;

processing the image data content to generate terrestrial data which includes terrestrial image data; and

transmitting the terrestrial data to an end-user remote system.

44. The method according to claim 43, wherein the processing comprises analyzing the image data content for identifying selected agronomic significant data within the image data content;

and processing the agronomic significant data to provide the agronomic data.

45. The method according to claim 43, wherein the processing comprises analyzing the image data content for identifying selected terrestrial significant data within the image data content;

and processing the terrestrial significant data to provide terrestrial data indicative of soil qualities of the ground area.

46. The method according to claim 43, wherein the processing comprises applying computerized processing algorithms to the image data content for differentiating between areas with different types of soils in the ground area.

47. The method according to claim 43, wherein the image data content is based on image data acquired at a set of imaging locations along the flight path which are located less than 20 meters above the ground area.

48. The method according to claim 43, wherein the processing comprises determining a composition of materials in the ground area, and generating the terrestrial data in response to a result of the determining.