Development and application of an autonomous and flexible unmanned aerial vehicle for precision viticulture

• Published in: Acta horticulturae no. 978; pp. 63 - 69
• Main Authors: Matese, A, Primicerio, J, Di Gennaro, F, Fiorillo, E, Vaccari, F.P, Genesio, L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: International Society for Horticultural Science 01.01.2013
• Subjects: cameras; image analysis; monitoring; remote sensing; unmanned aerial vehicles; vegetation; vigor; vines; vineyards; viticulture
• ISSN: 0567-7572
• DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2013.978.5

In the last years it has become possible to combine high spatial resolution imagery, quick turnaround times and low operational complexity and costs in order to generate useful remote sensing products for vegetation monitoring applied to viticulture and the environment. Remote sensing platforms based on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) represent a tool for this purpose, providing low-cost approaches to meet the critical requirements of spatial, spectral, and temporal resolutions. An open-source/low-cost UAV has been developed and tested in real field conditions proving to be an effective and inexpensive tool for mapping vineyard vigour areas of vineyards and thereby providing information relevant for precision viticulture applications. Two additional preliminary research activities have tested the capacity of the UAV system to evaluate diseases and bio char effects on vine vigour. Future prospects point to, the development of advanced UAV systems that allow a greater payload, and the consequent integration with more complex sensors in terms of weight and operation, such as thermal and hyper spectral cameras.