Evaluation of multispectral unmanned aerial systems for irrigation management

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
José L. Chávez ◽  
Huihui Zhang ◽  
Maria C. Capurro ◽  
Jon Altenhofen ◽  
Ashish Masih
Keyword(s):  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Aerial Systems

scholarly journals sUAS Remote Sensing of Vineyard Evapotranspiration Quantifies Spatiotemporal Uncertainty in Satellite-Borne ET Estimates

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (19) ◽  
pp. 3251
Author(s):  
Michael Kalua ◽  
Anna M. Rallings ◽  
Lorenzo Booth ◽  
Josué Medellín-Azuara ◽  
Stefano Carpin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Estimation Methods ◽  
Observation System ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Sensing Platforms ◽  
Earth Observation System ◽  
Commercial Vineyard ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Aerial Systems

Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) show promise in being able to collect high resolution spatiotemporal data over small extents. Use of such remote sensing platforms also show promise for quantifying uncertainty in more ubiquitous Earth Observation System (EOS) data, such as evapotranspiration and consumptive use of water in agricultural systems. This study compares measurements of evapotranspiration (ET) from a commercial vineyard in California using data collected from sUAS and EOS sources for 10 events over a growing season using multiple ET estimation methods. Results indicate that sUAS ET estimates that include non-canopy pixels are generally lower on average than EOS methods by >0.5 mm day−1. sUAS ET estimates that mask out non-canopy pixels are generally higher than EOS methods by <0.5 mm day−1. Masked sUAS ET estimates are less variable than unmasked sUAS and EOS ET estimates. This study indicates that limited deployment of sUAS can provide important estimates of uncertainty in EOS ET estimations for larger areas and to also improve irrigation management at a local scale.

scholarly journals A Decade of Unmanned Aerial Systems in Irrigated Agriculture in the Western U.S.

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 423-436 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Luis Chávez ◽  
Alfonso F Torres-Rua ◽  
Wayne E. Woldt ◽  
Huihui Zhang ◽  
Christopher C Robertson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
The United States ◽  
Irrigation Scheduling ◽  
Irrigated Agriculture ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Multi Scale ◽  
Processing Software ◽  
Aerial Systems ◽  
Precision Irrigation

Highlights Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) are able to provide data for precision irrigation management. Improvements are needed regarding UAS platforms, sensors, processing software, and regulations. Integration of multi-scale imagery into scientific irrigation scheduling tools are needed for technology adoption. Abstract . Several research institutes, laboratories, academic programs, and service companies around the United States have been developing programs to utilize small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) as an instrument to improve the efficiency of in-field water and agronomical management. This article describes a decade of efforts on research and development efforts focused on UAS technologies and methodologies developed for irrigation management, including the evolution of aircraft and sensors in contrast to data from satellites. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations for UAS operation in agriculture have been synthesized along with proposed modifications to enhance UAS contributions to irrigated agriculture. Although it is feasible to use sUAS technology to produce maps of actual crop coefficients, actual crop evapotranspiration, and soil water deficits, for irrigation management, the technology and regulations need to evolve further to facilitate a successful wide adoption and application. Improvements and standards are needed in terms of cameras’ spectral (bands) ranges, radiometric resolutions and associated calibrations, fuel/power technology for longer missions, better imagery processing software, and easier FAA approval of higher altitudes flight missions among other issues. Furthermore, the sUAS technology would play a larger role in irrigated agriculture when integrating multi-scale data (sUAS, ground-based or proximal, satellite) and soil water sensors is addressed, including the need for advances on processing large amounts of data from multiple and different sources, and integration into scientific irrigation scheduling (SIS) systems for convenience of decision making. Desirable technological innovations, and features of the next generation of UAS platforms, sensors, software, and methods for irrigated agriculture, are discussed. Keywords: Agricultural water management, Irrigation prescription mapping, Irrigation scheduling, Precision irrigation, Remote sensing, Sensors, Spatial crop evaOotranspiration, Unmanned aerial systems.

LIGHTER-THAN-AIR (LTA) UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEM (UAS) CARRIER CONCEPT FOR SURVAILLANCE AND DISASTER MANAGEMENT

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 1255
Author(s):  
Ahmad Salahuddin Mohd Harithuddin ◽  
Mohd Fazri Sedan ◽  
Syaril Azrad Md Ali ◽  
Shattri Mansor ◽  
Hamid Reza Jifroudi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ◽  
Disaster Management ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Unmanned Aerial System ◽  
Border Control ◽  
Aerial Vehicles ◽  
Operational Safety ◽  
In Situ Methods ◽  
Aerial Systems

Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) has many advantages in the fields of SURVAILLANCE and disaster management compared to space-borne observation, manned missions and in situ methods. The reasons include cost effectiveness, operational safety, and mission efficiency. This has in turn underlined the importance of UAS technology and highlighted a growing need in a more robust and efficient unmanned aerial vehicles to serve specific needs in SURVAILLANCE and disaster management. This paper first gives an overview on the framework for SURVAILLANCE particularly in applications of border control and disaster management and lists several phases of SURVAILLANCE and service descriptions. Based on this overview and SURVAILLANCE phases descriptions, we show the areas and services in which UAS can have significant advantage over traditional methods.

Beach and dune impacts due to Hurricane Florence in Dare County, North Carolina

Shore & Beach ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 44-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Sciaudone ◽  
Liliana Velasquez-Montoya
Keyword(s):  
North Carolina ◽  
Prior Knowledge ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
State University ◽  
National Wildlife Refuge ◽  
Sediment Samples ◽  
Wildlife Refuge ◽  
Full Report ◽  
Aerial Systems

Less than two weeks after Hurricane Florence made landfall in North Carolina (NC), a team of researchers from NC State University traveled to Dare County to investigate the storm’s effects on beaches and dunes. Using available post-storm imagery and prior knowledge of vulnerabilities in the system, the team identified several locations to visit in the towns of Kitty Hawk, Nags Head, Rodanthe, Buxton, and Hatteras, as well as a number of locations within the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge (Figure 1). Data collected included topographic profiles, still imagery and video from unmanned aerial systems, sediment samples, and geo-located photography. This Coastal Observations piece presents some of the data and photos collected; the full report is available online (Sciaudone et al. 2019), and data collected will be made available to interested researchers upon request.

A Comparative Economic Study on the Use of Unmanned Aerial Systems versus Motorcycles to Transport Laboratory Samples in Liberia

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walter Ochieng ◽  
Tun Ye ◽  
Christina M. Scheel ◽  
Aun Lor ◽  
John M. Saindon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Economic Study ◽  
Aerial Systems
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