LU100180B1 - Method and device for destroying weeds and localized reseeding in meadow via drone - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and device for destroying weeds and reseeding localized via grassland drone, comprising the following steps: - Determining the areas of grasslands to be analyzed (treated) by the operator on a computer screen, smartphone or other. - Calculation of an automatic flight plan of the drone, provided with the spraying system, to cover all surfaces and flight of it which analyzes, via its intelligent camera, the places of weeds and allows a spraying thereof while recording the processed GPS surfaces. - Recovery of the registration of treated surfaces and communication, after the waiting time of the phyto product elapsed, to the drone now equipped with the reseeding system and flight of the automatic drone so that it reseeds previously treated surfaces. Possibility also to treat via several phyto or other products, to reseed. the voids not sufficiently vegetated or to carry out a percentage search for the presence of this or that plant species or plant void as well as to combine detection via flying wing and action via conventional drone. Possibility also to spray the fence feet and look for faults on electric fences

Description

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DESTROYING ADVENTILES AND LOCALIZED REPRESENTING IN PRONE PRAIRIER.

Object of the invention

The present invention relates to a method of destroying weeds and re-seeding in the grassland by using a drone equipped with an automatic flight system and an intelligent camera that can identify weeds and spray them via a system. spray coupled with the drone and reseed the sprayed areas later via an on-the-fly seeding system coupled to the drone.

It also relates to the device for implementing the method according to the invention.

State of the art

For the sake of profitability, destruction of weeds must take place as soon as possible. Whenever weeds are not destroyed and replaced by optimal vegetation, this results in a significant financial loss in yield.

It is therefore important for the farmer to be able to control and destroy weeds as soon as possible.

Due to the lack of manpower and time in agriculture, as well as the growing size of the farms, which are accompanied by the multiplication of the number of parcels with increasing areas, it becomes very difficult for the farmer to carry out its localized weed destruction at the appropriate time and localized re-seeding.

There is, after research, the possibility of using a conventional sprayer towed to the tractor, use of heavy equipment, equipped with a smart camera that can detect weeds and allow spraying on them. The concern is to have no solution to reseed weeds destroyed because once they destroyed, space is free for a recolonization of weeds if reseeding is not done.

Goals of 11 invention

The present invention aims to provide a solution that overcomes the disadvantages of the state of the art.

The present invention is more particularly intended to provide a device for destroying weeds and reseeding via grassland drone. This can also be applied in lawn, park and garden.

The present invention further aims to provide a method of destroying weeds, shrubs and localized reseeding using a drone that can be a RPSA drone with a particular system to succeed in reseeding later.

The present invention also aims to provide a method and a device that make it possible to make destruction and reseeding located via drone automatically.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and device for automatically spraying under fences as well as a summary of the invention.

A first object of the present invention relates to a method of destruction of weeds and localized reseeding comprising the following steps: - Recovery of the surface to be treated determined by the operator on screen on photoplan with the possible surface areas of exclusion of flights transmitted to the drone. - Launching of the drone equipped with a spraying system (fig.1) with an intelligent camera that can detect weeds and allow them to be sprayed according to a flight plan that it has calculated and done to cover the entire surface to be performed at a programmed altitude. - When the drone makes a moment of spraying because the camera to detect one or weeds, it records the GPS coordinates of the treated surface. - When the drone has finished its mission, the operator retrieves the GPS coordinates of the treated surface. - After the waiting time has elapsed after spraying, the operator removes the device for spraying the drone and switches on the seed sowing device on the fly (Figure 2). - Once again in the field, the operator enters the previously processed surface data and the drone recalculates a flight plan to sow seeds on previously sprayed area surfaces.

According to particular embodiments of the invention, the method comprises at least one or an appropriate combination of the following characteristics: A drone (1) coupled to a spraying system (2) and also being able to be coupled to a seed drill system on the fly (8). a smart camera system coupled to the drone (1) to determine the weeds to be destroyed and the areas not sufficiently vegetated; - a geolocation system of the drone (1) (via GPS); a system that, depending on a photoplan on which the locations to be treated (12) are indicated (whole parcel to be analyzed and processed if necessary), determine an automatic flight plan that the drone (1) will perform; - the ability to record the GPS position of each spray;

A second object of the present invention relates to a method for filling non-grasshed holes by reemerging on the grass, including the following steps: - possibility of using the drone (1) equipped with the reseeding system (8) for the pass over the entire surface of the ground to fill any holes other than after the spraying which may be game, molehill, ... - the drone (1) retrieves the surface data of the ground specified by the operator on a photoplan (12) on screen and determines as before a flight plan covering the entire surface to be treated. - The intelligent camera of the drone (1) monitors the ground in flight and each time it detects a surface area determined on the ground (for example 50 cm2) where there is no grass so the earth, that It allows the sowing drone (1 + 8) to sow seeds. - The drone (1 + 8) thus performs the entire surface to be treated.

According to particular embodiments of the invention, the device comprises at least one or a combination, appropriate to the following characteristics: it comprises a drone (1), capable of flying over the entire area of the zone to be treated, and capable of take spraying system (2) or planter system on the fly (8) instead of spray system (2) as well as a remote power failure search system (33) on electrified fence (28). - an intelligent camera so that it can monitor the entire area of ground flown by the drone (1) in flight to allow spraying and / or seeding depending on the task at hand. - A system allowing the operator to draw on screen (12) the area to be analyzed and process if necessary and transfer it as a GPS coordinate to the drone (1) so that he can perform a flight plan automatic (16). - an automatic flight system of the drone (1), with any element allowing it to fly automatically (GPS control), with a system to avoid obstacles and control its altitude; - programming at the smart camera level to determine which weeds to look for and which ground points do not have enough grass cover and fence detection (28). - A single spraying rod tilt system (30) and a remote electric fence failure search system.

Brief description of the figures

FIG. 1 represents a schematic view and its description of the drone equipped with its spraying system.

Figure 2 shows a schematic view and description of the drone equipped with its seeder system on the fly (reseeding).

FIG. 3 represents a more detailed view of the conventional field operation chronology to be analyzed and treated by spraying.

Figure 4 shows a more detailed view of the conventional field operation timeline to be re-seeded after spraying.

FIG. 5 represents a more detailed view of the conventional field operation chronology to be analyzed and treated for non-grassed zone filling.

Figure 6 shows: - In case 1: a spray boom with solenoid valve at each nozzle. - In case 2: a single rod spray. - In case 3: a possibility of a second element to spray two different products (selective + total) or (selective + selective).

Figure 7 shows a more detailed view of the drone with its single rod tilt spray system in fence spray mode. Legend (1) Drone with geolocation position, manual flight system and automatic obstacle avoidance equipped with intelligent camera monitoring the ground for the identification of weeds or non-grassed hole area. (2) Spraying member (3) Attaching the spraying member to the drone with power transmission and control. (4) phyto product tank and pump. (5) Product valve controlled by the camera when it is necessary to spray. (6) Spray boom with injector. (7) Fastening of the reseeding organ (drills on the fly) to the drone with power transmission and control. (8) Seed tank. (9) Reseeding organ. (10) Seed valve controlled either by the software when reseeding according to GPS surface or via the smart camera. (11) Sowing disc. (12) Operator determining on screen the perimeter of the surface to be analyzed. (13) Perimeter of the surface to be analyzed determined by the operator. (14) Drone equipped with spray system. (15) Weed zone spotted, sprayed, and recorded in GPS area. (16) Calculated flight plan. (17) Drone equipped with reseeding system. (18) Area previously sprayed and registered for reseeding, re-seeding area. (19) Re-seeding area because non-grassed hole. (20) Solenoid valve for each nozzle controlled by the smart camera. (21) Jet. (22) Solenoid valve controlling the single nozzle called single spray rod. (23) Product tank A. (24) Product tank B. (25) Ramp for product A. (26) Ramp for product B. (27) Alternative single rod for product B. (28) Electric fence Or other. (29) Closing foot. (30) Tilt system of the spray rod. (31) Son. (32) Drone capable of carrying a remote power failure detection device. (33) Power failure on the electrified fence.

Detailed description of the invention

The present invention relates to a method of destruction of weeds and reseeding via drone and device for putting it into operation. The method according to the invention can more particularly apply to meadows, parks and gardens, lawns.

The method and the device according to the invention will, by way of example, be illustrated for grassland operation.

The basic principle of the present invention is that, on the outset, the operator indicates on a screen (12) the area to be analyzed and, if necessary, to deal with any exclusion zones (possibility of recovering the photoplan area drawings). area declaration of the common agricultural policy). This surface is transferred to the drone (1) which is in the ground surface (13) can perform, according to its geolocation, an automatic flight plan (16) to analyze the entire selected surface and treat the necessary areas. Then, the drone (1) having its reservoir phyto product (4) full (selective attention), flies and is placed at a determined altitude relative to the ground. There, it starts to move according to the calculated flight plan to begin its mission and, each time the camera spots a weed, it allows the spraying by opening the electrovalve (5) and the GPS recording of the treated surface area is stored in the memory. Once the entire surface is analyzed, the drone (1) returns to its initial position. After a period of time defined by the waiting time of the product can be several days, the operator returns to the plot with the drone (1) but this time with the spraying system (2) of the drone pulled and replace by a seed drill on the fly with seeds. He returns to the UAV the pulverized surface areas that he has recorded before and again the drone (1) recalculates an automatic flight plan (2) and goes, passing over each surface, to authorize the seed, in opening the solenoid valve (10) to fill the gaps left by the destruction of weeds.

Description of a first embodiment of the method according to the invention

According to a first embodiment of the method, the destruction of weeds and reseeding are as described above. The important point is that for this to work, you need to be able to use a selective herbicide that does not destroy all vegetation.

Description of a second embodiment of the method according to the invention

As a variant of the method according to the invention, when it is not possible to use a selective product for destroying the desired weed and it is necessary to use a total (glyphosate for example), the drone therefore has a particular spraying system of not spraying over a width of the ramp (6) but then at a specific point. This functionality can be done by opening-closing each nozzle by including a solenoid valve (fig.6 case 1) or by the presence of a single spray rod (fig.6 case 2). In case 1, the camera of the drone (1) must, once detecting a weed in flight, determine which nozzle of the ramp (6) and when it must be activated to spray the weed precisely. In case 2, the camera must, once a weed has been detected, stop the flight of the drone and guide it, so that the single spray rod (22) is just above the weed and allow spraying by opening the solenoid valve of the spray rod (22). Then, the automatic flight (16) restarts and continues its task. At each single spraying, whether this is the case 1 or 2, the GPS location is recorded for the subsequent reseeding which will be carried out as described above.

There is also the possibility of using two tanks (fig.6 case 3). The first tank contains the selective product and is used for the operation of weeds sensitive to this product, which works as before and for the other advantices or shrubs that require a total, there is a second tank pressurized with a single rod (22) which works as in case 2. instead of a single spray rod, one can also have a second ramp with solenoid valve at each nozzle (case 1).

This brings the advantage of being able to work with two different products whether it is two selective or a selective and a total depending on the weeds involved.

Description of a third embodiment of the method according to the invention.

As a variant of the two descriptions according to the preceding invention, the drone (1) equipped with its seed system (8) can also be used for a particular application, namely that the intelligent camera can be set to visualize the ground and to determine when there is an area of land of a certain programmed area that has no grass cover (empty due to a destroyed weed, a molehill, a boar spoil, trampling, agricultural car damage).

The principle is again the same, one recovers the data of the parcel and the drone (1) carries out an automatic flight plan (16) of the parcel in order to cover this one. Once in flight at a programmed altitude, the camera analyzes the ground and, once it determines a vacuum of a programmed surface, the seed drill (8) is activated in order to fill this empty seed surface which will allow closing this emptiness by vegetation and prevent the emergence of future weeds.

Description of a fourth embodiment of the method according to the invention.

The system can also be used to determine the percentage of presence of such a plant species or other. The principle is again the same, we get the GPS data of the plot and the drone performs an automatic flight plan of the plot to cover it. It overflows the plot and locates the desired plant species. At each positive diagnosis, it retains the positive surface and once the entire plot is completed, it performs the percentage of the desired species in relation to the area of the plot. In addition to one or more plant species, it can do the same with non-vegetated voids and mosses.

Description of a fifth embodiment of the method according to the invention.

The principle can, to gain efficiency, be in this form. A flying wing is used which will cover the entire surface of the plot for the entire detection part, analysis and the latter then records the surface (s) to be treated via GPS point (s). The drone (1) equipped with the spraying or reseeding system (8) then receives the GPS points of the zones to be treated and again calculates a flight plan (16) to go to treat all these zones.

Description of a sixth embodiment of the method according to the invention.

As a variant of all the preceding descriptions, there is the possibility of using the drone (1) equipped with its spraying system (2) with the possibility of spraying a single spraying rod (22) in order to spray under electric fences. or others (28) with a total phyto product to prevent vegetation from growing in the wires (31). To do this, the operator determines in the same way the plots to be analyzed on screen (12) and, on each plot, the lines of fences (28) to be sprayed. The drone (1), knowing the surface of the parcel, can not leave it and it will determine an automatic flight plan to begin to spray under the fences (28) while approaching the boundary of the parcel until what the smart camera detects the fence (28). Once the fence (28) is detected, the drone (1) will be positioned parallel to it and at a programmed distance and altitude, the spray rod (22), in this case, is provided with a nozzle tilting system (30) and the system will orient the spray rod (22) by x degrees as a function of distance and altitude to spray the fence foot (29). Once all this is set, the solenoid valve is opened and the spray starts, and the drone (1) advances along the fence (28) controlled by the smart camera. If permission to fly over the neighboring property is obtained, the drone (1) can be placed above the fence (28) and spray vertically and follow the fence (28) in the same way with the smart camera . The fence tracking system can also be applied to control the drone (1) equipped with a device for detecting power outages from remote electric fences (32). In this case, the drone (1) follows the electrified fence (28) and, whenever a failure is signaled by the remote power failure detection device (32), it notes the GPS position of the faults so to provide once all the monitoring of or closure (s) (28) determined by the screen operator (12), the GPS position of these failures is on photoplan or other problem areas to repair.

Advantages of the invention - The device and the method according to the invention make it possible to destroy weeds and reseed more selectively. The device and the method according to the invention increase the yield because the more we control and destroy the appearance of early weeds, the greater the yield of the meadow is important and less use of phyto product on a large scale. - This device and this method can be used for a varied range of management of meadows, parks and gardens, .... - The version combined with a flying wing also offers the possibility to increase further the speed. - The operation of the device is simple. - Saving time and money. - Reduction of inputs and precision in plant protection treatments. - Improvement of the well-being of the operator. - Improvement of the environment. - Possibility to control the invasion of electrified fences that save time if we can avoid manual brushing. - Possibility to use the drone to search for failure on the electrified fence network.

Claims (19)

1. Method of destruction of weeds and local reseeding via drone, comprising the following steps: - After determination by the operator of the area to be analyzed on screen, flight of the drone automatically to cover the surface of this zone, provided with the system by analyzing, thanks to the embedded smart camera, the soil and by identifying the areas of weeds. - Once an area of weeds identified, authorization by the drone of this area and GPS recording of this area. 2. Method of destruction of weeds and local reseeding via drone according to claim 1, characterized in that the GPS data of sprayed areas can be reintroduced later in the drone equipped with the reseeding system so that it can automatically create a flight plan and return above each previously sprayed area and allow re-seeding of these areas. 3. Method of destruction of weeds and localized reseeding via drone according to claim 2, characterized in that the drone equipped with the reseeding system can be used, after determination by the operator of the area to be analyzed on screen, to perform a automatic flight plan of the area to be analyzed and, thanks to the on-board smart camera, visualize the empty areas and allow reseeding. 4. Method of destruction of weeds and localized reseeding via drone according to claim 1 to 3, characterized in that the intelligent camera, during the automatic flight of surface coverage, looks and analyzes the place overflown on the ground and the compares to the requested analysis and allows spraying or reseeding once a detection has occurred. 5. Method of destruction of weeds and localized reseeding via drone according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the drone has an automatic GPS flight system with determination of flight plan after receiving the perimeter of the parcels to be analyzed and to be processed determined by the operator on screen photoplan after receiving the coordinates of specific places where he must go to perform an action. 6. Method of destruction of weeds and localized reseeding via drone according to claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the drone can be provided with an automatic obstacle avoidance system. 7. Method of destruction of weeds and localized reseeding via drone according to claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the drone can correct its altitude relative to the ground automatically. 8. Method of destruction of weeds and localized reseeding via drone according to any one of the preceding claims, namely that the spray system can be grafted to the drone and comprises a reservoir of phyto or other product pressurized by a pump and leads into a spray nozzle with nozzle, to control the spray, a solenoid valve actuated by the software via the smart camera or GPS points introduced. 9. method of destruction of weeds and localized reseeding via drone according to claim 8, characterized in that in addition to a spray boom, one can obtain a precise and unique point of spray for spraying an area single rather than a large area by a single nozzle, solenoid valves at each nozzle of the ramp where the software controls the opening of these above the precise place to spray and characterized by two by the possibility of having two tanks of different phytos or other products, themselves connected to either a conventional ramp, solenoid valve ramp at each nozzle or single nozzle rod. 10. Method of destruction of weeds and localized reseeding via drone according to any one of the preceding claims, namely that the reseeding system can be grafted to the drone comprising a seed tank with an opening opening a solenoid valve dropping seeds out of two discs in rotation inverted via electric motor, all powered by the software via the onboard camera or GPS points introduced. 11. Method of destruction of weeds and localized reseeding via drone according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the detection via the smart camera is done via flying wing thus registering the areas to be treated (spraying or reseeding) in GPS zones then transmitted to the drone equipped with one of the two tools so that it determines a faster flight plan to go to treat the identified areas via the flying wing. 12. A method of destruction of weeds and localized reseeding via drone according to claim 1, characterized in that the operator can additionally add spray fences on a screened photoplan and that the intelligent camera can detect these same fences, place the drone at a certain distance and altitude from them, tilt the spray rod a certain degree towards the fence and allow spraying while driving the drone all along the spray fences. Possibility also to spray vertically above the fences. 13. Method of destroying weeds and localized reseeding via drone according to claim 12, characterized in that the closure monitoring system by the drone via the smart camera can carry a remote electric fence failure detection system and provide a report to the operator of detected faults located in the GPS position to the operator on photoplan. Possibility of interaction between the control of the drone and the system of detection of power failure. 14. Device for destroying weeds and localized reseeding via drone comprising a drone equipped with either a spraying system or a reseeding system, an automatic flight and obstacle avoidance system and altitude control of the drone , an intelligent on-board camera, a unique spray rod orientation system, a remote detection system for power outages on electrified fences. 15. Device according to claim 14, with the spraying system comprising a tank or more of phyto or other product pressurized via an electric pump in a spray bar having a plurality of single or solenoid valves each and / or a single rod of spray, controlled by a solenoid valve open or closed by the software on the spray boom, the single spray rod or controlling the opening of the solenoid valves of each nozzle depending on the task to be performed. 16. Device according to claim 14, with the reseeding system comprising a seed tank, with the opening of the control of a solenoid valve by the software and dropping seeds on two discs in rotation inverted by electric motor. 17. Device according to claims 14 to 16, characterized by the possibility of selecting areas of on-screen photoplan analysis areas as well as fences to be processed, transformed by a program into GPS points transmitted to the drone, which can then perform an automatic flight plan and perform an analysis of the area and the action to be performed or not. 18. Computer program, automation and information exchange process, adapted to implement the method according to any one of claims 1 to 13. 19. Means to relate the method between a flying wing for the detection part and a drone for the action part as well as the relationship between the management of the drone and the remote device for looking for power failure on electrified fences.