RU2767537C1 - Autonomous robotic system for point control of weeds - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: agriculture; machine building.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to agricultural machine building, in particular to complexes for weed control. Autonomous system for point control of weeds contains a frame with three horizontal and one vertical guides and a carriage installed on them, connected to a control unit and driven by four stepper motors. In the lower part of the carriage there is a colour video camera and a working element located in the housing. Working member contains a motor connected to a small gear, which is connected to a large gear and in the centre of which there is a drill with a nozzle for removal of weeds with a through channel which conducts herbicides. Working element is connected through the pump to the herbicide supply tank.

EFFECT: proposed self-contained system for point control of weeds will provide improved quality of soil treatment, reduced consumption of herbicides and negative impact on environment.

1 cl, 3 dwg

Description

The invention relates to agricultural engineering, in particular to complexes for weed control.

There is a known method of aviation chemical treatment of plants (A.S. USSR N 1017218, IPC A01G 7/00, 1983), according to which the spectral brightness of the vegetation cover to be processed is measured before the chemical sprayer, and the chemical consumption is regulated in proportion to the spectral brightness of the vegetation cover to be processed .

The disadvantage of the known method is that the spectral brightness of the vegetation cover is determined under the condition that the field of view of the photometer is the vegetation cover to be processed, not less than the working width of the aircraft (30-35 m). As a result, plants with different degrees of development fall into the field of view of the photometer, both poorly developed and well-developed plants receive a visible dose of chemicals, which leads to the irrational use of chemicals, and consequently, environmental pollution occurs.

A device for controlled weed control (AS RF N 2129785, IPC A01M 7/00, 1999) is known, which consists in automatically controlling the supply of herbicide to weeds. When the device is moving, all spray nozzles of the sprayer are in the field of view of the color video camera. When the video camera sees a green color of the weed in the area of the field processed by one sprayer, the image analyzer issues a command to turn on the corresponding sprayer through the solenoid valve.

The disadvantage of the known device is the lack of the possibility of spot application of the herbicide, and consequently, a greater consumption of the latter, pollution of the environment and cultivated crops.

Known method and device (German patent N 4132637, IPC A01M 7/00, 1993, prototype) herbicide supply depending on the number of weeds, optically adjustable with processing of results using a computer. The method is implemented by a device containing a container with a herbicide, a pump, a color video camera and a command block. There are containers for herbicides, devices for their supply, sprayers. However, in the known method and device, the consumption of herbicides depends on the total number of weeds that fell into the field of view of the optical sensor.

The disadvantage of the known device is that it does not take into account the individual location of the weeds on the sprayed area, resulting in increased consumption of herbicides, as well as pollution of the environment and cultivated crops.

The technical objective of the invention is to improve the quality of tillage, reduce the consumption of herbicides and the negative impact on the environment.

The technical result is achieved by the fact that the autonomous complex for point weed control, according to the invention, contains a frame with three horizontal and one 4 vertical guides and a carriage mounted on them, connected to the control unit and driven by four stepper motors, in the lower part of the carriage a color video camera and a working body are installed, located in the housing and containing a motor connected to a small gear, which is connected to a large gear and in the center of which there is a drill with a nozzle for removing weeds with a through channel conducting herbicides, while the working body is connected through the pump with container for herbicide.

The invention is illustrated by drawings.

In FIG. 1 shows an autonomous weed control complex - general view; in fig. 2 shows the frame of an autonomous complex with the main components; in fig. 3 shows the working body of the autonomous complex.

An autonomous complex for point weed control consists of a frame 1 with three horizontal and one vertical guides 2 and a carriage 3 mounted on them, driven by four stepper motors 4, ensuring its three-dimensional movement within a limited volume and located on each of the guides 2 In the lower part of the carriage 3, a video camera 5 (not shown) and a working body 6 are installed, including a system for the simultaneous mechanical and chemical removal of weeds.

The working body 6 includes an engine 7 connected to a small gear 8 located in the housing 9. In the center of the large gear 10 connected to the small gear 9, there is a drill 11 with a through channel 12 conducting pesticides.

The working body 6 is connected to the tank 13 with the herbicide through a pump (not shown). Outside the working area, there is a control unit 14 and an electronic computer (not shown) with specialized software for image analysis.

Autonomous weed control complex works as follows.

Before starting work, frame 1 with an autonomous complex is installed on a self-propelled unit 15.

The robot receives a map and coordinates for the start of work. The software calculates the optimal trajectory for a complete field pass. Using computer 14, the robot detects all plants in its path using a database of known plants pre-loaded into the system. To do this, he takes real-time pictures of the soil with camera 5, passing through the video stream, which are further processed by an algorithm based on OpenCV. At the output, the complex receives information about which vegetation is harmful and where it is located.

The first stage of tillage is the mechanical removal of weeds using a special nozzle on the 11 drill. point with a weed plant. The drill 11 plunges into the soil and mechanically removes it.

The second stage is the injection into the soil of a dosed amount of herbicide, which is carried out simultaneously with the first stage, the dose of which is determined depending on the number of weeds in a given area.

Both operations are aimed at the center of the plant, for maximum effect due to the close location of the root system.

The use of an autonomous complex for targeted weed control will improve the quality of soil cultivation, reduce the consumption of herbicides and the negative impact on the environment.

Claims (1)

Autonomous complex for point weed control, characterized in that it contains a frame with three horizontal and one vertical guides and a carriage mounted on them, connected to the control unit and driven by four stepper motors, a color video camera and a working body are installed in the lower part of the carriage , located in the housing and containing a motor connected to a small gear, which is connected to a large gear and in the center of which there is a drill with a nozzle for removing weeds with a through channel conducting herbicides, while the working body is connected through the pump to the container for the herbicide.

Images