Abstract:
The sensor networks paradigm has revolutionized agricultural methods and has helped
explicate the precincts of the agricuhural sector. The advancement of Wireless Sensor
Networks and its integration with RS has spurred a new direction.of agricuhural mechanisms.
Optimizing sensor module specification and in-situ sensor placement for crop monitoring and
withal using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) platform for achieving the aforemention ed
objective is a territory of precision agriculture yet to be explored. Images taken by low ahitude
remote sensing platforms, or UAVs are shown to be a potential alternative given their low cost
of operation in environmental monitoring, high spatial and temporal resolution, and their high
flexibility in image acquisition programming. The extensiveness of agricultural operations
demand cost effectiveness in real- time data acquisition methods proposed for precision
agriculture. Hence, it is essential that placement of these sensor modules is optimized for
effective monitoring in terms of cost and operations. Optimized sensor module specification
and placement involves explicit study and analysis of the field area using UAV imagery, sensor
module design and development of a system that displays the data in real time on a user friendly
web application. Spot irrigation control decisions means less water stress, improved crop
quality, and significantly higher growth rates leading to reduced production time and
eliminating pre-existing practices of over irrigating land. By cutting back on irrigation and
quantifying the use of agricultural resources including energy, water, fertilizer and machinery
at each stage of the agricultural process, conservation can be achieved which impacts your
bottom line and subsequently the environment. Along with less utilization of resources that
leads to monetary benefits, the project also involves a web application using which the user
will be able to monitor the crops in real time from anywhere.
