BR102018070348A2 - system, method and device for releasing natural enemies for biological pest control - Google Patents

Abstract

system, method and device for releasing natural enemies for biological pest control the present invention relates to a system, method and device aimed at releasing biodegradable containers containing natural enemies by means of an unmanned aerial vehicle (advantage ) intelligent, in which the entire area is covered, so that it can optionally be used in agricultural, zootechnical or urban areas.

Description

SYSTEM, METHOD AND DEVICE FOR RELEASING NATURAL ENEMIES FOR BIOLOGICAL PEST CONTROL

Field of the invention:

[1] The present invention falls within the field of agriculture, more precisely, in the area of biological pest control technologies.

Fundamentals of the invention:

[2] One of the pillars of integrated pest management is biological control. This natural phenomenon consists in the regulation of the number of plants and animals by natural enemies, thus, all species of plants and animals have natural enemies associated with their developmental stages (egg, larva / nymph, pupa and adult). For the realization of biological control, natural enemies are produced in the laboratory and used as a measure

emergency for the control of pests in agriculture and in urban area. [3] One From cases of success at the biological control occurred in 1974, with the introduction of larval parasitoid

Cotesia flavipes for the control of the sugarcane borer Diatraea saccharalis and, this parasitoid is still used in sugarcane fields in Brazil through the release of 6000 parasitoids / ha, totaling approximately three million parasitoids released / year. Another successful case is the use of Trichogramma pretiosum, a parasitoid of lepidopteran-pest eggs that cause damage of up to 100% in crops of corn, cotton, soybeans, tomatoes, among others.

[4] The most recent insect used in biological control is the parasitoid Tamarixia radiata, a natural enemy of the main citrus crop pest, Diaphorina citri.

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T.radiata parasitizes the young stage of D.citri preventing the insect vector from reaching its adult stage and infecting citrus orchards, as this pest is a vector for Candidatus Liberibacter spp bacteria associated with Greening.

[5] The marketing of these natural enemies is carried out by bio-factories that offer this resource to the population. The releases are carried out by man and for each insect there is a method and an adequate density of release. As there is still dependence on unskilled labor to carry out these releases, this control tool can be impaired, because sometimes the places where insects have to be released are difficult to access, without handling invasive plants, and there may be presence of venomous animals such as snakes, spiders, Africanized bees and scorpions.

[6] The introduction of new pests in Brazil has affected several cultures since the 19th century and an average loss in production of 7.7% is estimated, equivalent to 25 million

tons, generating a lost of R $ 55 billion at the Brazil and, still, it is estimated that in world as losses due to attack of pests reach $ 1.4 trillion. [7] In the 3rd century a.C, the Chinese were the first

to use ants to control defoliating caterpillars and citrus coleóbrocas. This idea of using insects to reduce pest populations is very old. The first successful case of classical biological control was in 1888 through the introduction of an insect belonging to Australia's entomofauna for aphid control in California. Since then, great advances have occurred in the area of biological control in several countries, totaling 176 cases of partial success

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3/25 or total between the years 1890 and 1975.

[8] In the beginning, the mass creations of natural enemies were dependent exclusively on the natural host because there was no mastery of artificial diets or alternative hosts, for the creation of the biological control agent. Thus, the creations of these agents could be seasonal, at the time when it was possible to produce the host plant. In the 1920s, the first imports of natural enemies from their countries of origin to others began in order to control pests. Only in the late 1960s did imports of natural enemies into Brazil begin, and between 1990 and 2000, 24 species of parasitoids, predators and mites were introduced.

[9] In this context, biological control has gone through advances thanks to the mastery of breeding techniques through process improvements, knowledge of the bioecology of natural enemies and the development of artificial diets, increasing the possibilities for mass breeding of insects and subsequent flooding releases (large quantities) for pest control, becoming yet another tool in integrated pest management.

[10] Vector-borne diseases cause more human morbidity and mortality than any other infectious disease, and mosquitoes are the main vectors. Mosquitoes transmit various diseases such as zika, dengue, chickungunya, mayaro, yellow fever, malaria, West Nile virus, among others. The Zika virus is associated with fetal malformation, such as microcephaly. Dengue is the disease transmitted by mosquitoes with the fastest viral spread.

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According to the World Health Organization, approximately 750,000 people are killed every year by mosquito-borne diseases.

[11] There is enormous complexity in combating these vectors, since they are capable of reproducing in various conditions, such as in small containers, bottle caps and plastic bags, and in places of difficult access, such as clogged gutters and flooded slabs. In addition, the reproduction time is also short, approximately 7 days, depending on environmental conditions, which makes it difficult to inspect new breeding sites.

[12] The adoption of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to replace mass manual releases by walking, can qualify as an advantage the possible cost reduction, regardless of the use of unqualified labor for the release, present extreme mobility in areas of difficult access and allow releases at night with the use of georeferencing, which would minimize the impact of heat on parasitoids.

[13] As a result, a system, method and device based on unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is proposed here to perform biological control of these pests.

State of the art:

[14] Some prior art documents describe systems with unmanned aerial vehicles aimed at pest control.

[15] US2014303814 AERIAL FARM ROBOT SYSTEM FOR CROP DUSTING, PLANTING, FERTILIZING AND OTHER FIELD JOBS sets out a system that assigns one or more drones to perform agricultural tasks, such as crop removal, planting,

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5/25 fertilization and the like on or for one or more plants, using drones to supply materials such as pesticides, seeds, fertilizers and others to the field or plants being grown.

[16] The technology presented in the aforementioned document differs from the present invention especially in the way in which this task is performed. The present invention consists of specific hardware for the release of insects for biological control, which takes into account the ideal conditions for their transport. In addition, the present invention performs chemical pest control, in which the plants are evenly distributed and the aircraft routes are static in previously established air corridors. In the present invention, the aircraft can operate on terrains of any geometry, the deposition of the cups (biodegradable containers containing the natural enemies to be released) is calculated and a good route of the aircraft is made based on the previously calculated deposition points.

[17] The present invention does not require a farm made specifically for this purpose, that is, the layout of the farm does not need to have a specific shape for the work to work, and it can also be applied on farms with different layouts, as it calculates the best way to deposit the cups, regardless of the geometry of the terrent.

[18] US2013068892 “FLYING APPARATUS FOR AERIAL AGRICULTURAL APPLICATION” depicts a flying apparatus for aerial agricultural application, more particularly, to a semi-autonomous, multi-rotor aircraft controlled remotely for crop spraying and harvesting purposes.

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6/25 [19] Although the invention presented above is an apparatus based on an unmanned aerial vehicle for chemical pest control, this invention differs from the present invention in that it does not perform biological pest control, it does not have equipment specifically developed for this purpose, it does not calculate the locations for the release of insects and does not calculate a good route for the aircraft to fly during the release of chemical agents, as proposed by the present invention.

[20] WO17133719 SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LOCALLY PRECISE APPLICATION OF SOLIDS AND LIQUIDS AND MIXTURES THEREOF IN AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY refers to a system for applying substances in agricultural areas and forests with at least one drone and a corresponding method with electronic control to accurately guide the application of substances.

[21] The focus of the technology mentioned in the aforementioned document consists of systems and methods for the precise location of the aircraft for the application of solids or liquids in plantations or forests. The objective of the present invention, in turn, is comprised in the generation of a map for the deposition of insects, calculation of a good route for the aircraft to release the insects for biological control, in addition to having a device specifically designed for their release, in which the ideal situation for transporting insects is taken into account.

[22] The article entitled “Development of an UAVS distribution tools for pest's biological control Bug Bombs” (DOI: 10.1109 / AERO.2016.7500685) proposes a UAV-based system for biological pest control that consists of

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7/25 a fixed-wing electric aircraft and a base station. Takeoff is done by catapult and landing is automatic. However, the flight plan and the choice of deposition of parasitoids is done manually, which requires skilled labor for the proper choice for deposition of parasitoids and for piloting the aircraft, factors that can lengthen the mission time of the aircraft. aircraft as well as increase costs.

[23] The article entitled “Development of pest's biological control tool using vtol uav systems” proposes a UAV-based system for biological pest control that consists of a rotary-wing electric aircraft and a base station. The flight plan and the choice of shape and deposition of the cups are done manually, which requires qualified labor for the proper choice for deposition of parasitoids and for the piloting of the aircraft, factors that can increase costs and the time of mission.

Brief description of the invention:

[24] The present invention relates to a system, method and device aimed at the release of biodegradable containers containing natural enemies by means of an intelligent unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), covering the entire area determined so that, optionally, it can be used in agricultural, zootechnical or urban scope.

Brief description of the figures:

[25] In order to obtain a total and complete visualization of the object of this invention, the figures to which reference is made are presented, as follows.

[26] Figure 1 shows the architecture and interaction of

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8/25 natural enemies release system for biological pest control. The arrows indicate the direction of communication between the components involved.

[27] Figure 2 shows the flowchart, in its simplified form, of the method for releasing natural enemies for biological pest control.

[28] Figure 3 shows the flowchart of step A of the method for releasing natural enemies for biological pest control.

[29] Figure 4 shows an illustration of the steps in steps A and B of the method for releasing natural enemies for biological pest control, (A) the image of the terrain taken from the satellite; (B) determination of the area of operation / scope; (C) determining the release points of the cups; and (D) flight route planning.

[30] Figure 5 exemplifies a possible way of distributing the glasses in a rectangular area.

[31] Figure 6 shows the flowchart of step C of the method for releasing natural enemies for biological pest control.

[32] Figure 7 shows a possible route and distribution points for cups in a plantation.

[33] Figure 8 shows the flowchart, in its simplified form, of step C of the method for releasing natural enemies for biological pest control.

[34] Figure 9 shows the flow chart of substep C.1 of step C of the method for releasing natural enemies for biological pest control.

[35] Figure 10 shows the flow chart of substep C.2 of step C of the method for releasing natural enemies to

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9/25 biological pest control.

[36] Figure 11 shows the flowchart of substep C.3 of step C of the method for releasing natural enemies for biological pest control.

[37] Figure 12 shows the flow chart of substep C.4 of step C of the method for releasing natural enemies for biological pest control.

[38] Figure 13 shows the external view, containing all views, of the natural enemy release device for biological pest control.

[39] Figure 14 shows the internal view, containing all views, of the natural enemy release device for biological pest control.

[40] Figure 15 shows the exploded view of the natural enemy releasing device.

[41] Figure 16 shows the internal and frontal view of the natural enemy release device for biological pest control.

[42] Figure 17 shows the rear view of the natural enemy release device for biological pest control.

[43] Figure 18 shows the internal and perspective view of the natural enemy release device for biological pest control, in which the cup reservoir, with natural enemy arthropods, appears in an opaque and translucent way to facilitate understanding of the structure .

[44] Figure 19 shows the arrangement of needles and punches in the natural enemy release device for biological pest control, along with how to pierce the biodegradable cup containing natural enemies.

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10/25 [45] Figure 20 shows the specific shape of the needle used to pierce biodegradable cups.

[46] Figure 21 shows a punching mechanism, with arrows indicating the movements of the pieces.

[47] Figure 22 shows the perspective view of the natural enemies release device for biological pest control, with its translucent reservoir, for better understanding, of biodegradable cups. The arrow represents the direction of movement of the biodegradable cups.

[48] Figure 23 shows the reservoir cap for biodegradable cups.

[49] Figure 24 shows the biodegradable cup detachment process carried out by the plug.

[50] Figure 25 shows the pusher mechanism of biodegradable cups.

[51] Figure 26 shows the pusher mechanism of biodegradable cups ejecting one of them.

[52] Figure 27 shows the natural enemy release device for biological pest control properly attached to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

Detailed description of the invention:

[53] The present invention applies in the field of agriculture, more precisely, in the area of biological pest control. It consists of a system, a method and a device for the release of biodegradable containers containing natural enemies, by means of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), so as to cover an entire determined area and can be used in agricultural, zootechnical or urban.

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11/25 [54] For the purposes of perfect understanding of the present invention, the categories of system, method and device will be revealed here in individual sections, it should be understood that they are inserted in the same inventive unit.

System for releasing biodegradable containers containing natural enemies [55] The system for releasing containers containing natural enemies for biological pest control, as shown in figure 1, has the function of releasing natural enemies for biological pest control,

aimed to cover all an area determined in the most efficient as possible. In your configuration preferential, comprises at least any less : - a vehicle air not manned or UAV (1);

- a computational agent (2);

- a microcontroller (3);

- a plurality of motors / actuators (4);

- a camera (5);

- a device for storing and releasing natural enemies (6); and

- an anemometer (7).

[56] The UAV (1), which can be a rotary wing, or fixed wing, or lighter than air, is responsible for carrying the device (6), together with the computational agent (2), the microcontroller (3 ), motors / actuators (4) and camera (5). The UAV (1) is also responsible for flying over the entire area determined for the application of pest control treatment, allowing the release of natural enemies by the storage and release device.

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12/25 natural enemies (6) as soon as the correct position is located, which is defined by the method later revealed here.

[57] It is worth mentioning that UAVs of the fixed wing type and lighter than air can be used to fight pests, as long as the mechanism described here is coupled. However, dedicated flight planning must be considered for each of the three types of aircraft, since each has different flight characteristics. The rotary-wing aircraft has greater precision in movement compared to fixed-wing aircraft and is lighter than air. Therefore, the present invention is described in this report in terms of its preferred mode, which is the mode using a rotary wing aircraft. However, it remains clear that fixed-wing and lighter-than-air aircraft are perfectly subjected to the disclosure of the present invention by re-planning flight from the deposition sites of the cups (biodegradable containers containing the natural enemies to be released) previously calculated.

[58] It should also be noted that the UAV to be used in the present invention must be able to support the device disclosed here, as well as the components of its system. There are several UAVs on the market, each with its own characteristics, however, the ideal is that the weight it supports is such that it guarantees an adequate flight speed for the application to which it is proposed. As an example, a prototype with a weight of around 1.8 kg and a speed of 3 m / s was used.

[59] How Flight time depends on each mission, radius

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13/25 performance of insects, terrain geometry, etc., it is also possible to use extra batteries that will feed the system. The computational agent (2), in turn, contains a memory, read by computer, having written instructions for executing, on a computer, the method of releasing natural enemies for pest control later revealed here. Preferably, the computational agent (2) should be able to run the Linux operating system and the ROS meta operating system. It may have an ARM processor (ARM11, Cortex-A7, Cortex A-53 or other that runs Linux) or x86, for example. You need at least two serial ports (or 2 USB ports to connect an FTDI converter (USB-RS232)) for communication with Arduino (responsible for controlling the motors and reading the sensors in the insect release mechanism) and UAV. If the computational agent (2) does not have built-in WiFi communication (as in the Raspberry Pi 3), it must have another USB port for a WiFi dongle. The amount of memory required depends on the Linux used. In the exemplary modality described here, Arch Linux is used without a graphical interface and with a minimalist configuration. Usually, computational agents have around 12GB of RAM. The storage capacity on the SD card is said according to the Linux used, noting that a 16GB SD card is sufficient, in the example mode provided here. An example of a microcontroller used is Atmega328p, optionally replaced by Atmega1280 or Atmega2560. The Arduino bootloader is used on the microcontroller, some Arduino libraries and an RTOS (Chibios) that runs on the Atmega328p microcontroller. The important thing is that this microcontroller has at least

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five PWM pins, for activation of the engines, twelve pins in digital input , for reading of the sensors in cups and positioning pusher, two pins in reading

analog, for reading the buttons and the battery voltage of the device. Preferably still, the programming language used in the microcontroller is C ++, optionally the C language. In the computational agent (2), three languages are used: bash, C ++ and Python.

[60] The computational agent (2) is also responsible for interpreting, through an intelligence mechanism that applies the method of releasing natural enemies for pest control later revealed here, the signals from the UAV sensors (1) that are preferably of the GPS type, height sensor, etc. In addition, the computational agent (2) interprets the signals from the sensors of the device (6), which are preferably sensors for the quantity of natural enemies to be released, etc., analyzes the images from the camera (5), chooses the best place to release the natural enemies and activates the motors / actuators (4), through the microcontroller (3), releasing the natural enemies of the device (6).

[61] The microcontroller (3) is responsible for interpreting the commands of the computational agent (2) and activating the motors / actuators (4) to release the natural enemies by the device (6).

[62] The motors / actuators (4) are controlled by the microcontroller (3) and are responsible for triggering the release of natural enemies by the device (6). They comprise, in their preferred configuration, the motors / actuators contained in the device for releasing natural enemies to

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15/25 biological pest control later revealed here.

[63] The camera (5) is responsible for acquiring the image of the location determined for the release of natural enemies. It is possible to use a common RGB camera or a multispectral camera, operating with a resolution of 640x480 or higher.

[64] The release device (6) is responsible for releasing natural enemies by activating motors / actuators (4) and is preferably the device for releasing natural enemies for biological pest control, later revealed and detailed here.

[65] The anemometer (7) is responsible for measuring the speed and direction of the wind during the release of natural enemies and sending this information, via wireless communication, to the computational agent (2). The anemometer (7) is the only component of the system that, in its preferred configuration, is not coupled to the UAV (1). For example, a wind-monitor200-05103 anemometer can be used, making it possible to use other equipment of the same size available on the market.

Method of releasing natural enemies for biological pest control [66] Additionally, the present invention describes a method of releasing natural enemies for biological pest control which is preferably stored, via computer memory, and performed by the computational agent (2), through an intelligence mechanism, in the natural enemies release system for biological pest control mentioned above. The method of releasing natural enemies for biological control of

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16/25 pests are divided into the following stages:

- step A) Delimitation of the area of operation;

- step B) Determination of the flight path;

- step C) Release of natural enemies, in which step C comprises the substeps of:

- substep C.1) Image acquisition,

- substep C.2) Determination of the place of release of natural enemies,

- substep C.3) Wind analysis, and

- substep C.4) Container deposit.

[67] Step A, delimiting the area of operation, is performed with the intervention of a user. The user extracts information about the area of operation of a satellite image. Then, the user separates the region in which the release of natural enemies must be carried out, also delimiting a prohibited region, which can be a large tree, for example, as seen in figure 2.

[68] In step B, in determining the flight path, the release locations of the natural enemies are determined and, from these, a flight route to the UAV (1) is planned, as seen in figure 6.

[69] The locations of release of natural enemies are determined in a similar way to the problem of covering a geometric circle. In this problem the objective is to place 'n' circles in an area so that it covers its entire length with the minimum number of possible circles, as seen in figure 5. Given equation 1, with 'n' being the number of circles, ' A 'the area of operation, Ci is the area covered by the i-nth circle.

jMukconA}

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17/25 [70] The present invention uses the center of the circles as a location for the release of natural enemies, and the radius of the circle being the range of action of the natural enemies released at the site, taking into account their uniform spread. Thus, the present invention works with the minimum number of release locations to fully cover the area of operation.

[71] The flight route is determined based on the Greedy Heuristic (HG) strategy, in which, given the points to be visited, the shortest route is estimated by performing the point-to-point calculation until the entire route is established.

[72] From a set of places to release natural enemies and a starting point, a good result is obtained for the route to be taken. However, the method does not take into account the environment in which the route is being designed. Thus, the path is planned according to figure 7, so that obstacles, such as large trees, are informed by the user. Other dynamic obstacles, which may appear during the flight, are not previously addressed.

[73] Although the method does not obtain information about the locations that cannot make a straight route between two natural enemy release sites, the method seeks the shortest route between two points, obtaining a good answer to this problem. As the method is able to identify in advance where the obstacles are, such as large trees, the method itself knows whether the UAV can perform a straight route. Therefore, this method uses information from places where you can and where you cannot act, to calculate a good route for the aircraft.

[74] In step C, releasing natural enemies,

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18/25 as illustrated in figure 8, the release of natural enemies is carried out properly in the predicted locations, taking into account external factors such as the wind, so that the release of these natural enemies is done correctly and appropriately.

[75] UAV (1) takes flight and heads for the first location to release natural enemies. Upon arriving at the release site, it is checked whether there are enough natural enemies for their release to take place. If not, the UAV (1) returns to the place of origin and lands, thus ending the procedure. If enough natural enemies are verified to release them, substep C.1, of image acquisition, is performed.

[76] In substep C.1, as shown in figure 9, the location coordinates (GPS) are received, the position of the UAV (1) is verified and, being verified that the UAV (1) is in one of the determined positions, the image of the place to be released the natural enemies is acquired by the camera (5). In sequence, the image is related to the location of the UAV (1) and this information is made available for determining the appropriate location for the release of natural enemies, by performing substep C.2.

[77] In step C.2, determining the release location of natural enemies, as seen in figure 10, the release location of natural enemies and the image of the location in question is received. In this substep, image processing is performed to determine the most suitable location for the release, such as, for example, tree canopy

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19/25 or less humid place, and this information is made available.

[78] In substep C.3, wind analysis, as seen in figure 11, the wind speed is read, the wind direction is read and this information is made available.

[79] With this information it is possible to check whether there is wind in the lateral direction in relation to the UAV (1) and, if so, the flight path is corrected. Subsequently, substep C.4, the procedure for releasing natural enemies, is performed.

[80] On this release, it should be noted that, preferably, the release height of the release container is a maximum of 1 m from the top of the plant to the ground.

[81] With the release of natural enemies, UAV (1) is directed to the next release location and the procedure is redone, starting over by verifying the sufficiency of the amount of natural enemies.

Device for releasing natural enemies for biological pest control [82] Additionally, the present invention describes a device for releasing natural enemies for biological pest control which is preferably the device for storing and releasing natural enemies (6) contained in the natural enemy release system for biological pest control that contains, embedded in itself, the motors / actuators (4) and comprises, in its preferred configuration, at least:

- a cover;

- a drilling mechanism;

- a pusher mechanism (6.6);

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- a release mechanism;

- a user intervention mechanism; and

- a coupling mechanism;

[83] The cover, as seen in figure 13, comprises, in its preferred configuration, at least: a release side (6.19); an opposite side (6.20); and a wrap (6.21).

[84] The release side (6.19) is preferably made of plastic, but it can also be made with ABS or PLA materials. It has a trapezoidal shape with its rounded ends and its height dimensions of (170 ± 2) mm, width of the larger base of (228 ± 2) mm and width of the smaller base between 100mm and 110mm. The release side (6.19) is the part where all the other mechanisms and parts of the device (6) are inserted / coupled.

[85] The opposite side (6.20) is preferably made of plastic but can also be made with ABS or PLA materials. It has a trapezoidal shape with its rounded ends and its height dimensions of (170 ± 2) mm, width of the larger base of (228 ± 2) mm and width of the smaller base between 100mm and 110mm. The opposite side (6.20) serves to cover the mechanisms and internal parts of the device (6), together with the wrap (6.21).

[86] The wrap (6.21) connects the release side (6.19) with the opposite side (6.20), covering the entire length of the mechanisms and internal parts of the device (6). It is preferably made with plastic but can also be made with ABS or PLA materials. It has the shape of a tube with a cross-section of the same shape and dimensions of the liberating (6.19) and opposite (6.20) sides, having

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21/25 (251 ± 2) mm length and thickness between 2mm and 3mm.

[87] A battery (6.22) and a voltage regulator (6.23) are illustrated in figure 15. The battery (6.22) is preferably just like the Vislero 2200mah 4S (14.8V nominal voltage with 2200mah capacity) and, the voltage regulator (6.23) applies to lower the battery voltage to 5V, working voltages of the Odroid, Arduino and motors, an example of the LM2596S integrated circuit being used.

[88] The drilling mechanism, as seen in figure 18, is attached to the release side (6.19), has the function of drilling the biodegradable cups (6.12), which are the containers that contain the natural enemies for release, thus allowing the exit of natural enemies and comprises, in its preferred configuration, at least: three punches (6.1); and three needles (6.2).

[89] The punches (6.1), as seen in figure 21, are actuators responsible for pressing the needles (6.2) against the biodegradable cups (6.12) by piercing them. The punches (6.1) are made, preferably, of plastic, but can be made with materials like PLA or ABS, are injected or printed on a 3D printer and have between

55mm and 57mm wide, between 63mm and 65mm deep, and between 56mm and 58mm high. It preferably contains an MG995 servo motor, being positioned at the internal ends of the release side (6.19).

[90] The needles (6.2), as seen in figure 20, are preferably made of steel and have a cylindrical base shape, (7.5 ± 0.1) mm high and (5.7 ± 0, 1) mm in diameter, and pointed top, (14.7 ± 0.5) mm high, base with (4.2 ± 0.2) mm diameter, central part with diameter

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22/25 (5.7 ± 0.2) mm and tip with (1.1 ± 0.1) mm in diameter and, having them (3.2 ± 0.1) mm in height, positioned facing to the center of the opening of the release side (6.19) and arranged equidistant from each other with 120 ° angulation.

[91] The pusher mechanism, as seen in figures 24 and 25, is attached to the release side (6.19), has the function of propelling the biodegradable cups (6.12) out of the device (6) and comprises, without its preferred configuration at least: presence sensors (6.3); storage reservoir (6.18); pusher actuator (6.7); and support (6.15).

[92] Presence sensors (6.3) are reflective optical presence sensors, preferably of the TCRT5000 type or the combination of infrared LED with photodiode or phototransmitter, being responsible for verifying the quantity of biodegradable cups (6.12) in the storage reservoir ( 6.18).

[93] The storage tank (6.18) is made, preferably of plastic, ABS or PLA material, has a cylindrical shape with (82 ± 0.5) mm in diameter and (245 ± 2) mm in height, is responsible for, precisely , store biodegradable cups (6.12), which contains natural enemies.

[94] The pusher actuator (6.7) is responsible for making the support (6.15) exert force on the stack of biodegradable cups (6.12), propelling them out of the device, preferably using the commercially available SG90 servo motor, modified mechanically and electronically to rotate continuously. The support (6.15) is responsible for transferring the force exerted by the actuator

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23/25 pusher (6.7) for the stack of biodegradable cups (6.12), propelling them out of the device, and is (75 ± 2) mm in diameter and can be made with ABS or PLA plastic.

[95] The release mechanism, as seen in figures 21, 22 and 23, is responsible for releasing the outlet of the biodegradable cup (6.12), is coupled to the release side

(6.19) and understands, in your configuration preferential, fur any less: one actuator opening (6.4); an cover (6.13); it is a sensor in position (6 16) . [96] The actuator in opening (6.4) is responsable per

move the lid (6.13) opening and closing the reservoir opening (6.18), allowing the release of the biodegradable cups (6.12), preferably using the SG90 servo motor (55 ± 2) mm in diameter. The opening actuator (6.4) can be, for example, an SG90 with a torque of 2.5 kgf * cm and a weight of 9 g.

[97] The cover (6.13) is responsible for sealing the opening of the release side (6.19), it has a circular hollow shape with (55 ± 2) mm in diameter. The cover (6.13) is connected to the opening actuator by means of a rod (6.14) which is responsible for transferring the movement given by the opening actuator (6.4) to it, opening and closing the reservoir (6.18). The rod (6.14) is also responsible for releasing the biodegradable cup (6.12) when the lid (6.13) is in the open position, as can be seen in figure 24.

[98] The position sensor (6.16) is responsible for checking the positioning of the biodegradable cup (6.12) and is a reflective optical sensor, preferably of the type

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TCRT5000 or the combination of infrared LED with photodiode or phototransistor.

[99] The user intervention mechanism, as seen in figure 17 is coupled to the release side (6.19), is responsible for the user's interaction with the device (6) and comprises, in its preferred configuration, at least: a button open / close (6.8); an operating system button (6.13); an ethernet input (6.10); a button (6.17) to turn off the computational agent (2); an LED (6.9); and a general on / off switch (6.11).

[100] The open / close button (6.8) is responsible for triggering the lid opening (6.13).

[101] The operating system button (6.17) is the one that informs the operating system, found in the computational agent (2), that the device will be turned off.

[102] The LED (6.9) is applied to identify operations for the user.

[103] The ethernet input (6.10) is responsible for providing a means of communication between the user and the computational agent (2), embedded in the device (6), preferably using an RJ45 connector. Another way of communicating with the device is through WiFi.

[104] The on / off switch (6.11) supplies power to the device (6) and is responsible for turning the device on and off (6).

[105] The coupling mechanisms, as noted in figure 15, are responsible for allowing, precisely, the coupling of the other components of the system, here previously revealed, in the device (6). They being such as: the microcontroller (3); o computational people (2);

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25/25 and the camera (5). Not to mention the motors / actuators (4) that are already inserted in the device, shown here.

[106] Those skilled in the art will value the knowledge presented here and will be able to reproduce the invention in the modalities presented and in other variants, covered by the scope of the attached claims.

Claims (10)

1. Natural enemies release system for biological pest control, characterized by the fact that it releases biodegradable containers containing natural enemies, by means of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), covering the entire area determined in agricultural, zootechnical or urban, preferably comprising: - an unmanned aerial vehicle or UAV (1); - a computational agent (2); - a microcontroller (3); - a plurality of motors / actuators (4); - a camera (5); - a device for storing and releasing natural enemies (6); and - an anemometer (7). 2. System according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the UAV (1) has a rotating wing, or fixed wing, or lighter than air, carrying the device (6), together with the computational agent (2) , the microcontroller (3), the motors / actuators (4) and the camera (5), being also responsible for flying over the entire length of the area determined to the application treatment in control of pests. 3. System of wake up with the claim 1, characterized by the fact that the agent computational (2) administer the intelligence mechanism that applies the method of releasing natural enemies for pest control, interpret the signals from sensors adapted to the UAV (1), interpret the sensor signals from the device (6), Petition 870190000639, of 03/01/2019, p. 5/14 2/10 analyze images from the camera (5), choose the best place for libertation From enemies natural and trigger the motors / actuators (4), through of the microcontroller (3). 4. System in wake up with claim 1, characterized by fact of the microcontroller (3) interpret the commands of the computational agent (2) and activate the motors / actuators (4) to release natural enemies by the device (6). 5. System according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the motors / actuators (4) are controlled by the microcontroller (3) and trigger the release of natural enemies by the device (6). 6. System according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the image of the location determined for the release of natural enemies is acquired by the camera (5). 7. System according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the release device (6) releases natural enemies by activating the motors / actuators (4). 8. System according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the anemometer (7) measures wind speed and direction during the release of natural enemies and sends this information, via wireless communication, to the computational agent (2) , being the only component decoupled in the UAV (1). 9. Method of releasing natural enemies for biological pest control, characterized by the fact that it releases biodegradable containers containing natural enemies, by means of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), Petition 870190000639, of 03/01/2019, p. 6/14 3/10 covering the entire area determined in agricultural, zootechnical or urban scope, preferably comprising the stages of: - step A) Delimitation of the area of operation, - step B) Determination of the flight path, and - step C) Release of natural enemies, where step C) comprises the substeps of: - substep C.1) Image acquisition, - substep C.2) Determination of the place of release of natural enemies, - substep C.3) Wind analysis, and - substep C.4) Container deposit. 10. Method, according to claim 9, characterized by the fact that step A comprises the recognition of an area of operation from the extraction of satellite image, with restricted prohibited regions defined by the presence of obstacles. 11. Method, according to claim 9, characterized by the fact that in step B the locations of release of natural enemies are determined and, from these, a flight path to the UAV is planned. 12. Method, according to claim 10, characterized by the fact that the locations of release of natural enemies are determined with the simulation of 'n' circles in an area in such a way that it covers all its extension with the minimum number of possible circles, applying equation 1: A = {(UP = i C,) Π There, where 'n' the number of circles, 'A' the area of operation, Ci is the area covered by the i-nth circle. 13. Method according to claim 10, Petition 870190000639, of 03/01/2019, p. 7/14 4/10 characterized by the fact that the flight route is determined based on the Greedy Heuristic (HG) strategy, in which, given the points to be visited, the appropriate route is estimated by performing the point-to-point calculation until all the route, being the result of the route to be taken obtained from a set of places to release natural enemies and a starting point. 14. Method, according to claim 9, characterized by the fact that in step C it is initially checked if there is a sufficient amount of natural enemies for their release to be carried out. 15. Method, according to claim 14, characterized by the fact that since the amount of natural enemies is insufficient for the release, the UAV returns to the place of origin and lands at the end of the procedure. 16. Method, according to claim 9 or 14, characterized by the fact that in substep C.1 the image of the location is acquired for the release of natural enemies by the camera (5), after verifying that the location coordinates (GPS) received by the UAV are in one of the positions determined for such release. such release. 17. Method, according to claim 9, 14 or 16, characterized by the fact that in substep C.2 the appropriate location for the release of natural enemies is determined, based on the image processing of the received location, such as the canopy tree or the least humid place, and that information is made available. 18. Method, according to claim 9, 14, 16 or 17, characterized by the fact that in substep C.3 the Petition 870190000639, of 03/01/2019, p. 8/14 5/10 reading the wind speed, reading the wind direction, making this information available, so that the procedure for releasing natural enemies can be carried out by executing substep C.4 and redirecting the UAV to the next location of release, restarting step C. 19. Method, according to claim 17, characterized by the fact that in substep C.4 the height of the launch of the release container is, preferably, at most 1 m from the top of the plant to the ground. 20. Method, according to claim 9, 14, 16 or 17, characterized by the fact that if there is wind in the lateral direction in relation to the UAV, the flight path is corrected and, after this correction, the procedure for releasing the natural enemies is accomplished. 21. Method of releasing natural enemies for biological pest control, according to any one of claims 9 to 20, characterized by the fact that it preferably coordinates the device for storing and releasing natural enemies (6) by the computational agent (2) of the system as defined in any one of claims 1 to 8. 22. Device for releasing natural enemies for biological pest control characterized by the fact that it preferably comprises, in its preferred configuration, at least: - a cover (6.19, 6.20 and 6.21); - a drilling mechanism (6.1 and 6.2); - a pusher mechanism (6.15); Petition 870190000639, of 03/01/2019, p. 9/14 6/10 - a release mechanism (6.13); - a user intervention mechanism (6.8 and 6.17); and - a coupling mechanism; - battery (6.22), and - a voltage regulator (6.23). 23. Device according to claim 22, characterized in that the cover comprises, in its preferred configuration, at least: a release side (6.19); an opposite side (6.20); and a wrap (6.21). 24. Device, according to claim 21, characterized by the fact that the release side (6.19) is preferably made of ABS or PLA plastic, has a trapezoidal shape with its rounded ends, its height dimensions (170 ± 2 ) mm, width of the base greater (228 ± 2) mm and width of the base less between 110mm and 111mm and be the part where all the other mechanisms and parts of the device (6) are inserted / coupled. 25. Device according to claim 22, characterized in that the opposite side (6.20) is preferably made of ABS or PLA plastic with a trapezoidal shape with its rounded ends and its height dimensions (170 ± 2) mm , width of the larger base (228 ± 2) mm and width of the smaller base between 110mm and 111mm and its function is to cover the mechanisms and internal parts of the device (6), together with the wrap (6.21). 26. Device, according to claim 22, characterized in that the wrap (6.21) connects the release side (6.19) with the opposite side (6.20), is Petition 870190000639, of 03/01/2019, p. 10/14 7/10 made, preferably, with ABS or PLA plastic, having a tube shape with the same cross-sectional shape and dimensions of the liberating (6.19) and opposite (6.20) sides having a length of (251 ± 2) mm and thickness between 2mm and 3mm. 27. Device, according to claim 22, characterized by the fact that the drilling mechanism has the function of drilling the biodegradable cups (6.12) thus allowing the exit of the natural enemies of the same and comprising, in its preferred configuration, at least: three punchers (6.1); and three needles (6.2). 28. Device according to claim 27, characterized by the fact that the perforators (6.1) are actuators responsible for pressing the needles (6.2) against the biodegradable cups (6.12), being made, preferably, of PLA or ABS plastic, having (55 ± 2) mm wide, (63 ± 2) mm deep and, (56 ± 2) mm high, preferably contain an MG995 servo motor and be positioned at the internal ends of the release side (6.19) . 29. Device according to claim 27, characterized in that the needles (6.2) are made, preferably, of steel, have a cylindrical base shape, with (7.5 ± 0.1) mm in height and (5 , 7 ± 0.1) mm in diameter, and pointed top, with (14.7 ± 0.5) mm in height, base with (4.2 ± 0.2) mm in diameter, central part with diameter ( 5.7 ± 0.2) mm and tip (1.1 ± 0.1) mm in diameter and, having the same (3.2 ± 0.1) mm in height, be positioned facing the center of the opening of the release side (6.19) and arranged equidistant from each other with 120 ° angulation. 30. Device according to claim 22, Petition 870190000639, of 03/01/2019, p. 11/14 8/10 characterized by the fact that the pusher mechanism drives the biodegradable cups (6.12) out of the device (6) and comprises, at least: presence sensors (6.3); storage reservoir (6.18); pusher actuator (6.7); and support (6.15). 31. Device, according to claim 30, characterized in that the presence sensors (6.3) are presence reflective optics, preferably of the TCRT5000 type or the combination of infrared LED with photodiode or phototransistor, and verify the quantity of biodegradable cups (6.12) existing in the storage reservoir (6.18). 32. Device according to claim 30, characterized by the fact that the storage tank (6.18) is made, preferably of ABS or PLA plastic, having a cylindrical shape (82 ± 2) mm in diameter and (245 ± 2) mm high and store the biodegradable cups (6.12). 33. Device, according to claim 30, characterized by the fact that the pusher actuator (6.7) is preferably the SG90 servo motor and by making the support (6.15) exert force on the stack of biodegradable cups (6.12). 34. Device according to claim 30, characterized in that the support (6.15) transfers the force exerted by the pusher actuator (6.7) to the stack of biodegradable cups (6.12), having a diameter (75 ± 2) mm and preferably made of ABS or PLA plastic. 35. Device according to claim 22, characterized in that the release mechanism releases Petition 870190000639, of 03/01/2019, p. 12/14 9/10 the exit of the biodegradable cup (6.12) and comprise, in its preferred configuration, at least: an opening actuator (6.4); a cover (6.13); and a position sensor (6.16). 36. Device according to claim 35, characterized by the fact that the opening actuator (6.4) moves the lid (6.13) allowing the release of the biodegradable cups (6.12) and preferably the SG90 servomotor with (55 ± 2) mm diameter. 37. Device according to claim 35, characterized in that the cover (6.13) has a circular hollow shape (55 ± 2) mm in diameter, connected to the opening actuator by means of a rod (6.14). 38. Device according to claim 37, characterized in that the stem (6.14) transfers the movement made by the opening actuator (6.4) to the lid (6.13) and by releasing the biodegradable cup (6.12) when the lid ( 6.13) is in the open position. 39. Device according to claim 35, characterized in that the position sensor (6.16) verifies the positioning of the biodegradable cup (6.12) and is a reflective optical sensor, preferably of the TCRT5000 type or the combination of infrared LED with photodiode or phototransistor. 40. Device, according to claim 22, characterized by the fact that the user intervention mechanism allows the user to interact with the device (6) and comprises, at least: an open / close button (6.8); an operating system button (6.17); an ethernet input (6.10); a button to turn off the computational agent (2); Petition 870190000639, of 03/01/2019, p. 13/14 10/10 one LED (6.9); and an on / off switch (6.11). 41. Device according to claim 40, characterized by the fact that the button opens / closes (6.8) activates the opening of the lid (6.13). 42. Device according to claim 40, characterized by the fact that the operating system button (6.17) informs the operating system that the device will be turned off. 43. Device, in wake up with The claim 40, characterized by the fact of The LED (6. 9) indicate operations for the user. 44. Device, in wake up with The claim 22, characterized by the fact that the ethernet input (6.10) provides the user's means of communication with the computational agent (2), preferably using an RJ45 connector. 45. Device according to claim 22, characterized in that the coupling mechanisms allow the coupling of the other system components to the device (6).