Precision Agriculture in Precision Agriculture in Agricultural AviationAgricultural Aviation

Jonathan KellyJonathan Kelly

Agricultural AviationAgricultural Aviation Started in 1921 in Ohio in a Curtiss JN-6 by Lt. Started in 1921 in Ohio in a Curtiss JN-6 by Lt.

John Macready spraying lead arsenate dust over John Macready spraying lead arsenate dust over catalpa trees to kill moth larvaecatalpa trees to kill moth larvae

Sprayed mostly dry chemicals in the early days, Sprayed mostly dry chemicals in the early days, hence the name “cropdusters”hence the name “cropdusters”

Used mostly war surplus aircraft (Stearmans), Used mostly war surplus aircraft (Stearmans), but today use specialized aircraft, such as Air but today use specialized aircraft, such as Air Tractor or ThrushTractor or Thrush

Today ag aircraft are used for chemical Today ag aircraft are used for chemical application, fertilization, firefighting, and remote application, fertilization, firefighting, and remote sensingsensing

Agricultural AviationAgricultural Aviation

Regulated by State and Federal Departments of Regulated by State and Federal Departments of Agriculture, as well as FAR part 137Agriculture, as well as FAR part 137

Have come a long way in the past 10-20 years in Have come a long way in the past 10-20 years in developing better aircraft and systems to developing better aircraft and systems to improve efficiency of aerial applicationimprove efficiency of aerial application

Major advances include GPS, flow rate Major advances include GPS, flow rate controllers, variable rate technology, and use of controllers, variable rate technology, and use of remote sensingremote sensing

GPS Swath Guidance SystemsGPS Swath Guidance Systems

GPS was a big step towards precision in GPS was a big step towards precision in aerial applicationaerial application

Hemisphere Air (SatLoc) most used GPS Hemisphere Air (SatLoc) most used GPS by pilotsby pilots

Flow Rate ControllersFlow Rate Controllers

Adjusts flow rate for groundspeed Adjusts flow rate for groundspeed (constant-rate applications)(constant-rate applications)

Adjusts flow rate for application rate Adjusts flow rate for application rate required by management zone (variable-required by management zone (variable-rate applications)rate applications)

Houma Avionics, Inc., AutoCal II Houma Avionics, Inc., AutoCal II Controls output from spray pumpControls output from spray pump

AutoCal Automatic Flow ControllerAutoCal Automatic Flow Controller

Variable Rate Technology in Ag Variable Rate Technology in Ag AircraftAircraft

Uses a combination of GPS, Flow rate Uses a combination of GPS, Flow rate controllers and a hydraulically-operated controllers and a hydraulically-operated pumppump

Kawak Aviation Technologies Hydraulic Kawak Aviation Technologies Hydraulic spray systemspray systemChanges rates in millisecondsChanges rates in milliseconds

Hydraulic pumpHydraulic pump

Flow rate changes with hydraulic Flow rate changes with hydraulic pumppump

Challenges in Variable Rate Challenges in Variable Rate Application using Ag AircraftApplication using Ag Aircraft

Spray Drift Spray Drift Turbulence of airflow around the airplaneTurbulence of airflow around the airplane Height above canopyHeight above canopy

Aircraft speed (120-150mph)– demands an Aircraft speed (120-150mph)– demands an extremely fast-responding systemextremely fast-responding system

Nozzles – need nozzles that keep the correct Nozzles – need nozzles that keep the correct droplet size through changing boom pressuresdroplet size through changing boom pressures

Keeping costs down and maintaining feasibility Keeping costs down and maintaining feasibility for operatorsfor operators

Prescription MapsPrescription Maps

Based on Satellite or Airplane imageryBased on Satellite or Airplane imageryCompanies such as In-TimeCompanies such as In-Time® ® produce produce

variable rate prescriptions with amounts of variable rate prescriptions with amounts of chemical needed per rate changechemical needed per rate change

Uses GIS programs to outline field Uses GIS programs to outline field boundariesboundaries

GIS shapefiles can be loaded directly into GIS shapefiles can be loaded directly into Satloc GPSSatloc GPS

Prescription MapsPrescription Maps

Prescription Map

As-Applied Map

Prescription MapsPrescription Maps

Prescription Map

As-Applied Map

Jones Air Rotating Boom AssemblyJones Air Rotating Boom Assembly

Designed in AustraliaDesigned in AustraliaBoom consists of flat fan nozzles that Boom consists of flat fan nozzles that

rotate through 110 degreesrotate through 110 degreesChanges droplet size by changing nozzle Changes droplet size by changing nozzle

position relative to the airflowposition relative to the airflowUsed to control spray driftUsed to control spray drift

Direct Injection Variable Rate Direct Injection Variable Rate ApplicationApplication

Also designed in AustraliaAlso designed in AustraliaConsists of 2 hoppers and creates a dual Consists of 2 hoppers and creates a dual

flow systemflow systemDirectly injects variable rates of 2 different Directly injects variable rates of 2 different

chemicals for variable rate applicationchemicals for variable rate applicationEx.- chemical can be a constant rate while Ex.- chemical can be a constant rate while

the other is applied at a variable ratethe other is applied at a variable rate

Remote Sensing with Ag AircraftRemote Sensing with Ag Aircraft

Research being conducted in Stoneville, Research being conducted in Stoneville, MS using ag aircraft as a carrier for MS using ag aircraft as a carrier for remote sensing technologyremote sensing technology

Ag aircraft much easier to schedule than Ag aircraft much easier to schedule than higher-flying airplanes, and avoids a lot of higher-flying airplanes, and avoids a lot of atmospheric interferenceatmospheric interference

However, large images cannot be taken, However, large images cannot be taken, so images must be stitched togetherso images must be stitched together

Remote SensingRemote Sensing

Remote SensingRemote SensingTaken from 46 m (177 ft.) above canopy using digital video over cotton

Thermal Imaging to detect water stressThermal Imaging to detect water stress

Camera mounted on sprayplaneCamera mounted on sprayplane

WebsitesWebsites

Jones Air Rotating Boom AssemblyJones Air Rotating Boom Assembly www.airtractor.comwww.airtractor.com www.thrushaircraft.comwww.thrushaircraft.com www.kawakaviation.comwww.kawakaviation.com www.gointime.comwww.gointime.com www.satloc.comwww.satloc.com www.combined.net.auwww.combined.net.au www.iflyag.comwww.iflyag.com Cool video on aerial application in AustraliaCool video on aerial application in Australia

ReferencesReferences Barber, Lindsay. 2007. Precision Ag: The Future of Aerial Application. Barber, Lindsay. 2007. Precision Ag: The Future of Aerial Application.

Agricultural Aviation. 34 (2).Agricultural Aviation. 34 (2). Phone Interview with Dr. Steven Thomson, Research Agricultural Phone Interview with Dr. Steven Thomson, Research Agricultural

Engineer, USDA-ARS, Application and Production Technology Engineer, USDA-ARS, Application and Production Technology Research Unit, Stoneville, MS. On April 11, 2008.Research Unit, Stoneville, MS. On April 11, 2008.

Smith, L. A., and S. J. Thomson. 2005. Performance of an Aerial Smith, L. A., and S. J. Thomson. 2005. Performance of an Aerial Variable-Rate Application System with a Hydraulically Powered Variable-Rate Application System with a Hydraulically Powered Chemical Pump and Spray Valve. NAAA/ASAE Paper #: AA05-009, Chemical Pump and Spray Valve. NAAA/ASAE Paper #: AA05-009, Washington, D. C.: NAAA.Washington, D. C.: NAAA.

Core, J. 2005. Agricultural aircraft offer a different view of remote Core, J. 2005. Agricultural aircraft offer a different view of remote sensing. Agricultural Research. 53 (3): 20-21.sensing. Agricultural Research. 53 (3): 20-21.

Thomson, S. J., and V. J. Alarcon. 2001. Geo-referenced digital Thomson, S. J., and V. J. Alarcon. 2001. Geo-referenced digital imaging and ultrasonic altitude sensing for agricultural aircraft – pilot imaging and ultrasonic altitude sensing for agricultural aircraft – pilot controls, instrumentation, and system evaluations. ASAE paper #: 01-controls, instrumentation, and system evaluations. ASAE paper #: 01-3098.3098.

Thomson, S. J., and D. G. Sullivan. 2006. Crop status monitoring using Thomson, S. J., and D. G. Sullivan. 2006. Crop status monitoring using multispectral and thermal imaging systems for accessible aerial multispectral and thermal imaging systems for accessible aerial platforms. ASABE paper # 061179. platforms. ASABE paper # 061179.