PNIPU: PAC UAV with multispectral camera for automation of agricultural production

The main articles are:

• Unmanned aerial vehicle (drone, UAV)
• Robots (robotics)
• Drones in agriculture

2024: Introduction of PAC UAVs to improve crop yields

Perm Polytech introduced PAC UAVs to increase crop yields. The university announced this on June 14, 2024.

source = PNIPU

Technologies are actively introduced into the agro-industry that increase the productivity and profitability of enterprises. Artificial intelligence, autonomous robots and drones come to the aid of man in agriculture. They simplify the work of farmers, collect data to predict crops and identify problems, create maps of fields and even introduce fertilizers into the soil. Therefore, Russian farmers pay special attention to the development of technologies in this area. Scientists of the Perm Polytechnic University have developed a software and hardware complex of UAVs with a multispectral camera, which will provide an innovative approach to agriculture and point farming. The use of the drone will reduce the cost of water, fertilizers and plant protection products, as well as increase crop yields by 20%.

The use of drones in agriculture makes it possible to conduct detailed monitoring of fields. Unmanned aerial vehicles are equipped with cameras and sensors, thanks to which high-quality images and data on the state of soil and plants can be obtained. Such information gives farmers an accurate view of the state of the crop.

The UAV also helps to detect diseases and changes in plant growth in the early stages. Using multispectral cameras, they detect changes in the color and texture of plants, indicating the presence of diseases, pests or nutritional deficiencies. Such monitoring allows you to quickly take measures, reduce crop losses and the use of chemicals. As of June 2024, there are no analogues of this product on the Russian market.

Scientists of the Perm Polytechnic University have developed a software and hardware complex of UAVs with a multispectral camera for automation and optimization of agricultural production in Russia.

Our technology will help to regularly collect data in various ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum, which ensures the accuracy of monitoring, timely identification of problem areas and the adoption of the necessary measures. The multispectral camera on the drone provides information on the state of crops, the level of soil moisture, the presence of diseases and pests, opens up opportunities for spot application of fertilizers and plant protection products. This minimizes the negative impact on the environment and increases the efficiency of resource use, "said Ruslan Mukhametsafin, project manager, student of the Department of Automation and Telemechanics at PNIPU.

Initially, the operator sets the fly-around area and camera parameters. Then the UAV itself passes the built route and takes pictures, after which the specialist discards the data from the camera to the computer and processes it. Manual control mode is also possible, but agricultural crops are always a large area, so it is more efficient to launch a drone offline, "explained Maria Garipova, project manager, student of the Applied Mathematics Department of PNIPU.

Plus, the development of polytechnics in the technical characteristics of the drone: its time in the air is up to 40 minutes, the maximum flight altitude is 6000 meters and the carrying capacity is up to 10 kg. There is also the possibility of servicing UAVs in Russia, which will significantly reduce repair costs.

The end consumer, namely agro-industrial complexes, agricultural service providers and research institutions, will receive an unmanned aerial vehicle with all the necessary documentation and user guidance, on the basis of which a service will be provided to monitor the state of sowing fields. Our technology will bring a significant contribution to the development of agriculture, providing it with a more effective and sustainable tool that contributes to progressive development, "said Sergey Storozhev, scientific director of the project, associate professor of the Department of Automation and Telemechanics at PNIPU, candidate of technical sciences.

According to scientists of the Perm Polytechnic, the use of a software and hardware complex of UAVs with a multispectral camera will increase crop yields by 10-20%, reduce fertilizer and plant protection costs by 15-25%, and reduce water consumption for irrigation by 20-30%. In turn, this will significantly save resources and increase the overall efficiency of agricultural production.