A visual remote sensing MAV for agriculture

(bachmann@informatik.hu-berlin.de)
Humboldt-Universitt zu Berlin Institut fr Informatik Cognitive Robotics Group

Ferry Bachmann

Outline:
1. Project Agricopter 2. Basic platform 3. Platform extensions 4. Challenges 5. Next steps

Ferry Bachmann, bachmann@informatik.hu-berlin.de

Project Agricopter
http://agricopter.de
- Funded by DBU (Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt) - 3 year project, running until 12/2012 - Project partners: Agronomical scientists: - Humboldt-Universitt zu Berlin - Leibnitz-Insitut fr Agrartechnik Bornim (Potsdam) Economy: - RUCON engineering (agronomic services)

Ferry Bachmann, bachmann@informatik.hu-berlin.de

Project Agricopter
http://agricopter.de
- Project goal: Optimization of fertilization with the help of aerial images (Important ecological and economical factor)

Ferry Bachmann, bachmann@informatik.hu-berlin.de

Project Agricopter
http://agricopter.de
Advantages compared to satellite images (RapidEye, Quickbird): - Cheaper - Flexible (where and when, fertilization time-critical!) - Less problems with clouds (could even be an advantage, diffused lighting) - Easier to change camera setting (e.g. bandwidth, filters)

Ferry Bachmann, bachmann@informatik.hu-berlin.de

Basic platform
- Oktokopter from Mikrokopter (HiSystems GmbH) - Construction set - Costs about 2500,- - Controllable via remote control or GPS - Max payload ~2kg - Flight time 15-30 minutes - Nearly OpenSource (non-commercial use)

Ferry Bachmann, bachmann@informatik.hu-berlin.de

Platform extensions
1. General extensions to use it as a platform for Robotic experiments (Cognitive robotic groups is working since ~3 years with the Mikrokopter platform) 2. Extensions for specific projects like Agricopter

Ferry Bachmann, bachmann@informatik.hu-berlin.de

Platform extensions
Camera System:
- 2 Cameras with flexible wavelength ranges (currently RGB and NIR) - Mounted via Pan-Tilt system (Nadir photos)

Ferry Bachmann, bachmann@informatik.hu-berlin.de

Platform extensions
Camera System:

~ 100m altitude

RGB

NIR

Ferry Bachmann, bachmann@informatik.hu-berlin.de

Platform extensions
Onboard-Electronics:
- Board-Computer (Beagleboard) - 720 Mhz, ARM Cortex A8 - 256MB RAM - Running Embedded Linux (Comfortable programming, HAL, rapid prototyping, but also high performance taks)

Ferry Bachmann, bachmann@informatik.hu-berlin.de

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Platform extensions
Onboard-Electronics Beagleboard tasks on agricopter:
1. Interfacing the Cameras (Trigger, Readout, Save) 2. Sensor data fusion (GPS/INS) and logging for georeferencing the images 3. Communicating with the Mikrokopter firmware (OpenSource) for own control and navigation strategies

Ferry Bachmann, bachmann@informatik.hu-berlin.de

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Challenges
Design system low-cost and modular:
This means using of-the-shelf components, but not a complete of-the-shelf system. Advantages: - Complete copter including cameras, electronics and sensors costs about 5000,- - Flexible to exchange components like IMU, GPS or cameras <-> Coupled design process with the users of the technology (agronomical scientists)

Ferry Bachmann, bachmann@informatik.hu-berlin.de

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Challenges
Making it robust and easy to use:
- System should be used easily and reliably - Should be completely autonomous from take-off, over waypoint navigation, image acquisition and landing - System is used as experimental platform in the cognitive robotics group - Future work (Currently using Mikrokopter Waypoint Navigation)

Ferry Bachmann, bachmann@informatik.hu-berlin.de

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Challenges

Georeferencing requirements:
- Homogeneity of images

- Hard to use image matching algorithms reliably

Ferry Bachmann, bachmann@informatik.hu-berlin.de

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Challenges

Georeferencing requirements:

But the goal is: Images should be georeferenced automatically without the help of known ground position coordinates => Therefore only direct georeferencing is possible (with orthophoto generation based on digital elevation model)

Ferry Bachmann, bachmann@informatik.hu-berlin.de

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Challenges
Georeferencing requirements:
=> The georeferencing accuracy depends completely on the INS/GPS accuracy Expectations of position and attitude accuracy with MEMS sensors (from literature): Position: Attitude: 2.5 m CEP roll and pitch angle 1-2 yaw angle (heading) 3-5

- Altitude 100m => ~7m on-the-ground positioning accuracy

Ferry Bachmann, bachmann@informatik.hu-berlin.de
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Challenges
Georeferencing requirements:
- Current goal: Achieve this ~7m accuray - Enough accuracy for fertilization task, because distrubution width is about 25m

Ferry Bachmann, bachmann@informatik.hu-berlin.de

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Challenges
Georeferencing requirements:
- We want to make Nadir photos! => Use Pan-Tilt unit for cameras Problem: How not to loose INS accuracy (exterior orientation)? Solutions: - INS on Pan-Tilt unit - Pan-Tilt unit with angle informations + INS on copter frame

Ferry Bachmann, bachmann@informatik.hu-berlin.de

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Challenges
Georeferencing requirements:
=> Pan-Tilt unit with high precision angular sensors in the axes

Ferry Bachmann, bachmann@informatik.hu-berlin.de

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Next steps
1. Measure and improve on-the-ground accuracy 2. Evaluate the camera system 3. Improve the autonomy (at least starting and landing) 4. Make it more robust and reliable

Ferry Bachmann, bachmann@informatik.hu-berlin.de

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Agricopter

Thank you.
Ferry Bachmann, bachmann@informatik.hu-berlin.de