Precision Farming in the Precision Farming in the SouthSouth EastEast

NESPAL & UGA BIO & AG ENGINEERING

What is Precision What is Precision Farming ?Farming ?

A A management strategymanagement strategy which which identifies, analyses and manages identifies, analyses and manages within field variability for increased within field variability for increased profit and reduced environmental profit and reduced environmental impactimpact

farming by the foot, farming by farming by the foot, farming by satellite, site specific management, satellite, site specific management, prescription farming……...prescription farming……...

Technologies behind PFTechnologies behind PF

Global Positioning System (GPS)Global Positioning System (GPS) Yield MonitoringYield Monitoring Variable Rate Technology (VRT)Variable Rate Technology (VRT) Remote sensing Remote sensing Geographic Information system Geographic Information system

(GIS)(GIS)

GPS - What is it ?GPS - What is it ?

Navigation device which lets you Navigation device which lets you pinpoint your location on the pinpoint your location on the earths surfaceearths surface

accurate to within a tennis court accurate to within a tennis court (SA off)(SA off)

24 orbiting satellites emitting radio 24 orbiting satellites emitting radio signalssignals

Messages picked Messages picked up by GPS receiverup by GPS receiver

GPS - How does it Work ?GPS - How does it Work ?

Differential CorrectionDifferential Correction

Correcting your normal GPS to give Correcting your normal GPS to give you accuracies down to below 1 you accuracies down to below 1 meter (about 3 feet)meter (about 3 feet)

Achieved by using a stationary Achieved by using a stationary base station GPS or subscription to base station GPS or subscription to commercial satellite broadcast commercial satellite broadcast serviceservice

SatelliteSatellite

BaseBase StationStation ReceivReceiverer

What is yield monitoring ?What is yield monitoring ?

Sensors mounted on the combine Sensors mounted on the combine measuring yield as the crop is measuring yield as the crop is harvested harvested

Coupled with a GPS logging Coupled with a GPS logging location, data can be mappedlocation, data can be mapped

Grain CropsGrain Crops

Corn, Wheat, Canola, SoybeanCorn, Wheat, Canola, Soybean

GPSGPS

Computer displayComputer display

PeanutPeanut

PYMS ComponentsPYMS Components5k load cells5k load cells Omnistar DGPS Omnistar DGPS

antennaantenna

palmtop computerpalmtop computer

swath width swath width indicatorindicator

junction boxjunction box

CottonCotton

EmittersEmitters

Two Ways to a Profit MapTwo Ways to a Profit Map

aerial photoaerial photo08 July 199808 July 1998

yield mapyield mapOctober 1998October 1998

profit mapprofit mapclassified imageclassified image

What does a yield map tell What does a yield map tell you ?you ?

““Report card” for fieldReport card” for field

Quantifies variability within a fieldQuantifies variability within a field

directs sampling to explain yield directs sampling to explain yield differencesdifferences

Corn Corn 19951995

Soybean 1995Soybean 1995 Peanut 1997Peanut 1997

Variable Rate TechnologyVariable Rate Technology

Refers to any equipment designed Refers to any equipment designed to allow the rate of farm inputs to to allow the rate of farm inputs to be precisely controlled and varied be precisely controlled and varied while the machine is in operationwhile the machine is in operation

VRT - Sensor Based VRT - Sensor Based SystemSystem

Real time sensing and controlReal time sensing and control Bowman Scan RayBowman Scan Ray

VRT Fertilizer spreaderVRT Fertilizer spreader

Computer displayComputer display

Application mapApplication map

What is Remote SensingWhat is Remote Sensing

Using satellite and aerial Using satellite and aerial photography to see the “big photography to see the “big picture”picture”

highlights variability within a highlights variability within a fieldfield

Color film image Infrared image

Images may be made from color or Images may be made from color or infrared filminfrared film

Ground controlpoint

GPS antenna

Data logger

Ground Control PointsGround Control Points

Ground control Ground control points are the points are the longitude and longitude and latitude of a latitude of a specific targetspecific target

These target These target locations are later locations are later used to used to georeference an georeference an image image

What is georeferencing ?What is georeferencing ?

matching a matching a specific longitude specific longitude and latitude to a and latitude to a targeted locationtargeted location

There are usually There are usually many targets many targets within a fieldwithin a field

What is the advantage to What is the advantage to georeferencing ?georeferencing ?

Georeferencing Georeferencing allows the image allows the image to be used as a to be used as a map within the map within the fieldfield

a scout may go out a scout may go out to a field with a to a field with a GPS and navagate GPS and navagate to problem areas to problem areas in the photoin the photo

Weed patches

GPS TermsGPS Terms

S/A – Selective AvailabilityS/A – Selective Availability ReceiverReceiver Differential CorrectionDifferential Correction Lat/Lon and UTMLat/Lon and UTM Landmarks/WaypointsLandmarks/Waypoints Coast Guard BeaconCoast Guard Beacon WAAS (Wide-Area Augmented WAAS (Wide-Area Augmented

System) System)

Specific uses for GPSSpecific uses for GPS

Differential (1 m accuracy)Differential (1 m accuracy)– Yield MonitoringYield Monitoring– Variable Rate ApplicationsVariable Rate Applications– Field ScoutingField Scouting

Non-Differential (Handheld)Non-Differential (Handheld)– Dependent on accuracyDependent on accuracy

Dependent on receiver, clear view of satellites, Dependent on receiver, clear view of satellites, atmospheric disturbances)atmospheric disturbances)

– Field ScoutingField Scouting

Handheld GPSHandheld GPS

InitializationInitialization Navigation ScreensNavigation Screens Storing LandmarksStoring Landmarks RoutingRouting

– GOTOGOTO– TrackingTracking– Multi-Leg RouteMulti-Leg Route

InitializationInitialization

Let’s Receiver know where it isLet’s Receiver know where it is Input time and date dataInput time and date data Must be re-initialized if receiver Must be re-initialized if receiver

has travelled more than xx miles has travelled more than xx miles from home, while offfrom home, while off– XX - 300 miles for Magellan 315XX - 300 miles for Magellan 315– XX- 500 miles for Garmin GPS III PlusXX- 500 miles for Garmin GPS III Plus

Set-upSet-up

Landmarks/WaypointsLandmarks/Waypoints

Position stored in memoryPosition stored in memory Usually input by pressing “Mark” buttonUsually input by pressing “Mark” button

– Can be renamed, comments and messagesCan be renamed, comments and messages– Takes time because without keyboard, Takes time because without keyboard,

spelling words takes a whilespelling words takes a while Can mark position of:Can mark position of:

– Home, campsites, tree stands, fishing holes Home, campsites, tree stands, fishing holes – Field positions known to have recurrent Field positions known to have recurrent

insect, disease or nutrient problems.insect, disease or nutrient problems.

RoutingRouting GOTOGOTO

– Usually have a GOTO buttonUsually have a GOTO button– Select waypoint/landmark and receiver begins Select waypoint/landmark and receiver begins

providing distance and bearing to landmarkproviding distance and bearing to landmark TrackingTracking

– Turn tracking on (always on with Garmin GPS III)Turn tracking on (always on with Garmin GPS III)– Store tracking into a route, can then backtrack Store tracking into a route, can then backtrack

to first spot, following trail used to get thereto first spot, following trail used to get there Multi-Leg RoutesMulti-Leg Routes

– Put waypoints in route and receiver will navigate Put waypoints in route and receiver will navigate to each point in orderto each point in order

RoutingRouting

Informational screens, navigation Informational screens, navigation screens, pagesscreens, pages

Magellan has up to 9 screens and Magellan has up to 9 screens and Garmin has up to 6 pagesGarmin has up to 6 pages

Each page provides information on Each page provides information on position and/or distance and position and/or distance and direction to a waypoint/landmarkdirection to a waypoint/landmark

RoutingRouting

Status Screen (page)Status Screen (page)– Shows number of satellites tracked Shows number of satellites tracked

and their position in the skyand their position in the sky

1212

1818

2222

11

4545°°

HorizonHorizon

YouYou

EPE – Estimated positionEPE – Estimated positionErrorErrorDOP – Degree of PrecisionDOP – Degree of Precision

Require 3 satellites for 2-D Require 3 satellites for 2-D position and 4 satellites if 3-D position and 4 satellites if 3-D (include altitude)(include altitude)

Ephemeris – position and speed ofEphemeris – position and speed ofsatellitessatellites

NN

RoutingRouting

Compass screen (page)Compass screen (page)– Shows number of satellites tracked Shows number of satellites tracked

and their position in the skyand their position in the sky

Heading – Direction of TravelHeading – Direction of TravelBearing – Direction should be Bearing – Direction should be going if navigating to a positiongoing if navigating to a position

EEWW

NN

NN

RoutingRouting

Position Screen (page) Position Screen (page) – Lat/Lon or UTM positionLat/Lon or UTM position– TimeTime– SpeedSpeed– Distance traveled Distance traveled – Access to secondary coordinateAccess to secondary coordinate

GPS Scenarios for USEGPS Scenarios for USE

Finding field areas of interestFinding field areas of interest– History of disease, low soil fertility, insect History of disease, low soil fertility, insect

pressurepressure– Mark area and give location a name.Mark area and give location a name.

RoutingRouting

Navigation screen(s)Navigation screen(s)– Basically same as compass screenBasically same as compass screen– BRG – Bearing to spot you want to got toBRG – Bearing to spot you want to got to– HDG – Direction you are travelingHDG – Direction you are traveling– SPD, XTE, DSTSPD, XTE, DST

Plot screen (map page)Plot screen (map page)– From Plot screen, it is easy to see landmarks From Plot screen, it is easy to see landmarks

already stored, tracks if tracking history is on, already stored, tracks if tracking history is on, distance to landmarksdistance to landmarks

– Zoom in and out with arrow right and left key Zoom in and out with arrow right and left key (page in and out)(page in and out)

BlackshearBlackshear

BlackshearBlackshear