TY - JOUR
T1 - Vision-based monitoring of orchards with UAVs
AU - Stefas, Nikolaos
AU - Bayram, Haluk
AU - Isler, Volkan
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2019/8
Y1 - 2019/8
N2 - We present an autonomous aerial system which can safely navigate inside the rows of an orchard for crop inspection, yield estimation and similar farm management tasks. Our operating environment has two practical constraints: GPS signal can be unreliable close to the ground and the trees can grow large branches that might block the robot's predetermined path. To address these challenges, we developed components for navigation, vision-based obstacle detection and avoidance and path planning for visual coverage. Results from a field demonstration in an apple orchard are presented showcasing the ability of our system to perform successful navigation and complete yield coverage of apple tree rows.
AB - We present an autonomous aerial system which can safely navigate inside the rows of an orchard for crop inspection, yield estimation and similar farm management tasks. Our operating environment has two practical constraints: GPS signal can be unreliable close to the ground and the trees can grow large branches that might block the robot's predetermined path. To address these challenges, we developed components for navigation, vision-based obstacle detection and avoidance and path planning for visual coverage. Results from a field demonstration in an apple orchard are presented showcasing the ability of our system to perform successful navigation and complete yield coverage of apple tree rows.
KW - Agricultural robotics
KW - Dynamic obstacle avoidance
KW - Unmanned aerial vehicles
KW - Vision-based navigation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85066955680&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1016/j.compag.2019.05.023
DO - 10.1016/j.compag.2019.05.023
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85066955680
VL - 163
JO - Computers and Electronics in Agriculture
JF - Computers and Electronics in Agriculture
SN - 0168-1699
M1 - 104814
ER -