Patent classifications
B64U101/26
System and method for autonomous surveillance of an agricultural machine
In one aspect, an agricultural surveillance platform useful to identify an operating condition of an agricultural machine may include an autonomous sensor frame structured to fly in formation with an agricultural machine and detect an operating condition of the agricultural machine. The agricultural surveillance platform may include a propulsion system to provide propulsive power to the autonomous sensor frame, and an inertial measurement unit configured to generate flight data measurements. The agricultural surveillance platform may also include an object detection sensor having a field of view sized to capture an image scene that includes the agricultural machine and generate scene data representing the image scene. The agricultural surveillance platform may also include a sensor frame controller configured to maintain a position of the autonomous sensor frame about the agricultural machine and generate autonomous sensor frame data that includes plugged data indicative of a plugged operating condition of the agricultural machine.