US-12622426-B2 - System and method for field treatment and monitoring

US12622426B2US 12622426 B2US12622426 B2US 12622426B2US-12622426-B2

Abstract

Systems and methods of using an unmanned aerial or land vehicle (e.g. drone) for agricultural and/or pest control applications, such as on farms, golf courses, parks, and/or along roadways, power lines, etc. The system may have a drone receiving a pesticide from a base station dispensing the pesticide and a holding tank supplying the base station with the pesticide.

Inventors

Daniel McCann
Wessam Gad El-Rab
MARK WILENIEC
Randy Mortensen
Anthony J Arkles

Assignees

PRECISION AI INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20200228
Priority Date: 20190228

Claims (20)

1 . A field treatment system comprising: at least one autonomous drone receiving at least one pesticide; the at least one autonomous drone comprises a data collection system, a navigation system, a propulsion system, a targeting system, a treatment system, and a power source; the data collection system providing data and comprises: at least one positioning sensor, and at least one camera; the at least one positioning sensor is selected from at least one of: an altimeter, an ultrasonic sensor, a radar, a lidar, an accelerometer, a global positioning sensor, and the at least one camera; a base station dispensing the at least one pesticide; and at least one holding tank supplying the base station with the at least one pesticide, wherein the navigation system is operative to determine a travel path for the at least one autonomous drone, the travel path having the at least one autonomous drone passing over all of a field, wherein the propulsion systems is operative to propel the at least one autonomous drone along the travel path, while the at least one camera takes images of the field along the travel path and the images are processed to identify a weed in the field, and wherein, when the targeting system identifies the weed as a target along the travel path, a spray vector is calculated and the at least one autonomous drone is positioned in accordance with the spray vector to spray the weed with the at least one pesticide via the at least one spray nozzle.
2 . The field treatment system according to claim 1 , wherein the navigation system receives the data from the data collection system, determines the travel path, determines when an obstacle is in the travel path and adjusts the travel path, and provides at least one propulsion instruction to the propulsion system in order to move the at least one autonomous drone.
3 . The field treatment system according to claim 1 , wherein the targeting system receives the data from the data collection system, analyzes the data to identify the weed, provides at least one target instruction to the navigation system, determines when the treatment system of the at least one autonomous drone is within a range of the weed and provides at least one treatment instruction to the treatment system.
4 . The field treatment system according to claim 3 , wherein the treatment system provides the at least one pesticide to the weed.
5 . The field treatment system according to claim 3 , wherein the treatment system further activates an eradication device directed to the weed; the eradication device is selected from at least one of: a weed trimmer, a heater, a digger, a microwave, a high energy laser, and an electric discharge.
6 . The field treatment system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of: the data collection system, the navigation system, and the targeting system are stored within a tangible computer-readable medium and is executed by a processor within the at least one autonomous drone.
7 . The field treatment system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one autonomous drone is selected from at least one of: an aerial drone, a rolling drone, and a combination of the aerial drone and the rolling drone.
8 . The field treatment system according to claim 1 , wherein the data collection system further comprises at least one agricultural sensor, and wherein the at least one agricultural sensor is configured to measure at least one of: a soil acidity, a soil moisture, a soil temperature, a conductivity, a wind direction, a wind speed, and radiation.
9 . The field treatment system according to claim 8 , wherein the targeting system constructs a plant profile.
10 . The field treatment system according to claim 1 , wherein the base station comprises a refilling system for refilling at least one canister; and the refilling system comprises a hose under pressure and a controller to activate a valve to dispense the at least one pesticide into the at least one canister.
11 . The field treatment system according to claim 10 , further comprising a weigh scale weighing the at least one canister to determine a full canister condition and the controller deactivates the valve.
12 . The field treatment system according to claim 10 , further comprising a spill container that captures the at least one pesticide from either a leak or the at least one canister being overfilled; and a level sensor within the spill container close the valve or deactivate the pump.
13 . The field treatment system according to claim 10 , further comprising a conveyor system transporting at least one empty canister from a drone docking area to the refilling system and transporting at least one full canister from the refilling system to the drone docking area.
14 . The field treatment system according to claim 1 , further comprising a communication system enabling communication between the base station and the at least one autonomous drone, and communication between at least a pair of the at least one autonomous drone; at least one mission rule being transmitted between the base station and the at least one autonomous drone; and the targeting system is configured to prioritize the at least one mission rule.
15 . A system for monitoring a field comprising: at least one autonomous drone having a data collection system, a navigation system, a propulsion system, a targeting system, at least one spray nozzle, and a power source; wherein the at least one autonomous drone passes over the field, along a travel path that passes over all of the field, collecting data; the data collection system collects the data from: at least one positioning sensor, and at least one camera; and the at least one positioning sensor is selected from at least one of: an altimeter, an ultrasonic sensor, a radar, a lidar, an accelerometer, a global positioning sensor, and the at least one camera, wherein the at least one camera takes images of the field along the travel path as the at least one autonomous drone passes along the travel path, and the images are processed to identify a weed in the field; wherein, when the targeting system identifies the weed as a target along the travel path, a spray vector is calculated and the at least one autonomous drone is positioned in accordance with the spray vector to spray the weed with the at least one pesticide via the at least one spray nozzle.
16 . The system according to claim 15 , wherein the navigation system receives the data from the data collection system, determines the travel path, determines when an obstacle is in the travel path and adjusts the travel path, and provides at least one propulsion instruction to the propulsion system in order to move the at least one autonomous drone.
17 . The system according to claim 15 , wherein a targeting system receives the data from the data collection system, analyzes the data to identify the weed as a target, and records a location of the weed in a target list.
18 . The system according to claim 17 , wherein at least one of: the data collection system, the navigation system, and the targeting system are stored within a tangible computer-readable medium and is executed by a processor within the at least one autonomous drone.
19 . The system according to claim 17 , wherein the data collection system further comprises at least one agricultural sensor, and wherein the at least one agricultural sensor is configured to measure at least one of: a soil acidity, a soil moisture, a soil temperature, a conductivity, a wind direction, a wind speed, and radiation.
20 . The system according to claim 19 , wherein the targeting system constructs a plant profile.

Description

PRIORITY The present application claims priority to International Patent Application No. PCT/CA2020/050276, filed on Feb. 28, 2020, which claims priority to Canadian Application No. 3,035,225, filed on Feb. 28, 2019. These prior applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. FIELD This invention is in the field of drones, and more specifically to systems and methods of using an unmanned aerial or land vehicle (e.g. drone) for agricultural and/or pest control applications, such as on farms, golf courses, parks, and/or along roadways, power lines, railroads, etc. BACKGROUND Generally, a current farm management with a crop process 100 may be shown in FIG. 1. The farmer or agrologist may survey a field for a variety of weeds, fungi, or insects 102 (collectively known herein as “pests”). A pesticide, such as a herbicide, a fungicide, or an insecticide, and/or a mixture thereof, may be selected 104 and purchased from a pesticide dealer. An appropriate application time may be determined 106 and when the application time is reached, the pesticide may be broadly applied to the field. The term pesticide may include all of the following: herbicide, insecticides (which may include insect growth regulators, termiticides, etc.), nematicide, molluscicide, piscicide, avicide, rodenticide, bactericide, insect repellent, animal repellent, antimicrobial, fungicide, and any combination thereof. In some instances, the appropriate application time may be a balance between a number of pests, an expense for applying the pesticide, and potential damage to the crop. If the application of the pesticide is too late, the pests may be done significant damage to the crop. If the application of the pesticide is too early, then a second application may be required later in the season resulting in additional costs. Also, broad application of pesticides may be wasteful as the application of the pesticide may be to areas of the field that do not have the pests. Benefits of the aspects described herein may address disadvantages of the current farm management with the crop process. Other advantages may be apparent to a person of skill in the art upon understanding the aspects as described herein. SUMMARY The aspects as described herein in any and/or all combinations consistent with the understanding of one skilled in the art on review of the present application. According to an aspect, there is provided a field treatment system. The field treatment system may have one or more drones receiving one or more pesticides. A base station may dispense the pesticides. One or more holding tanks may supply the base station with the pesticides. The drones may have a data collection system, a navigation system, a propulsion system, a targeting system, a treatment system, and a power source. The data collection system may provide data and have at least one of: one or more positioning sensors, one or more agricultural sensors, and one or more cameras. The positioning sensors may be selected from at least one of: an altimeter, an ultrasonic sensor, a radar, a lidar, an accelerometer, a global positioning sensor, and the cameras. The one or more agricultural sensors may be configured to measure at least one of: a soil acidity, a soil moisture, a soil temperature, a conductivity, a wind direction, a wind speed, and radiation. The navigation system may receive the data from the data collection system, determine a travel path of the drones, determine when an obstacle is in the travel path of the drones and adjust the travel path, and provide one or more propulsion instructions to the propulsion system in order to move the autonomous drones. The one or more drones may be selected from at least one of: an aerial drone, a rolling drone, and a combination of the aerial drone and the rolling drone. The propulsion system may comprise one or more motors turning at least one of: one or more propellers and one or more wheels. The targeting system may receive the data from the data collection system, analyze the data to identifies one or more targets, provide one or more target instructions to the navigation system, determine when the drones are within a range of the treatment system and provide one or more treatment instructions to the treatment system. The treatment system may provide the one or more pesticides to the one or more targets. The treatment system may activates an eradication device directed to the one or more targets. The eradication device may be selected from at least one of: a weed trimmer, a heater, a digger, a microwave, a high energy laser, and an electric discharge. The targeting system may construct a soil profile or a plant profile. At least one of: the data collection system, the navigation system, and the targeting system may be stored within a tangible computer-readable medium and may be executed by a processor within the one or more drones. The targeting system may be stored within a tangible computer-readable medium and is