Best use of UAV for potatos (and best UAV overall)

I've been researching agricultural UAV's overall but im looking for the best benefits on potatoes;

I want to divide this post on 4 different topics that i have not been able to find on any specific site:

1.- best UAV: I believe we do need to consider several aspects:

        - fly at least 100 acres per flight (around 50 hectares for us at any metric system country :P) (heli or winged?)

        - probably be able to flt 100 mt + heights (to be able to take the least possible pictures at the best possible resolution, remember we are making desitions on this info)

        - be Rough enough to withstand harsh conditions (will probably be landing on dirt and such)

        - automated UAV for ease of use.

2.- imagery: basically which camera should we use?

        - i keep working around 4 different cameras: an RGB combined with a NIR to make NDVI analysis... a Multispectral (which i understand does the same thing but with better red spectrums) thermal cameras and finally DIY modified cameras (like GoPros)

       - which camera would do the job? is it worth it working with a camera worth a couple thousend of USD??

3.- Post flight software: i keep going back to pix4d but i find it so expensive so i dont know if agisoft is enough? or maybe look at companies like agribotix for analysis?

4.- real life Use and benefits: i believe this would be the best topic of all: can we really monetize the agricultural UAVs?

          - pre sowing work

          - during crop analysis (i believe a frequent fly would give enough comparison to take desitions based on this images)

          - real life scenarios in which you have beneffited from flying a UAV over your fields :)

i hope this discussion is not so extense that we have to divide it on 4 different topics but please advise...

BTW english is not my first language so sorry if i am writing something wrong :)

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Replies

    • Glad it helped.

      I do not have any exprience with the system you mention. In my opinion, what you should be the most careful when it comes to Ag UAVs are the cameras you are using.

      What do you want to determine or know about the potatos with your uav?

    • honestly i have no experience but i want to make the most out of it... i would like to use it for the NDVI as a supervision but i would like to see if i can predict yields from the canopy (or 3D's) and i would like to try and prevent irrigation issues (i dont know if the RGB would give me this or if i would need another camera...)

      please advise :)

      thx again

      rg...

    • You can "easily" modify a CANON camera to get IR and thus NDVI. You will not be able to get hydric stress or moisture index with an IR camera.

      If you are not a professional or have any experience, I strongly suggest not to buy an expensive system. You will crash it.

      Cheers!

    • jaja, thx... ive heard that over and over again... i will follow that advise :)

      do you think a multispectral camera is necesary or just the IR?

      thx

    • Well, if you have the resources and don't mind what the learning curve implies then suit yourself.

      About the payload, it depends on the quality of the information you want. Are you a farmer or a service provider?

    • farmer...

      we are thinking on offering the service but we have never done that before, so we are focusing on ourselves right now...

    • I think I can help you with that. I sent a friend request so we can talk further.

  • My airplane is similar like this https://store.3drobotics.com/products/3dr-aero?taxon_id=32 but my own build and older skywalker model but to fly an airplane I recomend you to find someone else to teach you, For me It's easier to begin with a multirotor

  • 3702080695?profile=originalHow looks a papa ir false colors

    • the contrast is amazing... are your brothers using this info? how? thanks for sharing

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