Drone for Agriculture

Abstract

The present invention is a drone for spraying liquid such as pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, plant growth regulators, plant defoliators, and fertilizers over field crop. The drone comprises: a frame with a slender rigid beam in the middle and two base structures at the two ends, a rigid tube with an array of nozzles on elongated stems and the rigid tube is suspended below the beam structure with retractable wires, at least three propellers on motors with arms that are rotatably mounted to each of the two base structures of the frame, a power source positioned in one of the bases, at least one distance detector for measuring height of the drone above the ground, an antenna for sending and receiving communication signals, an electronic control system to operate motors and sensors, a container for a liquid material with a caped opening for refilling and an air pump to maintain a positive pressure in the container and electronic valve to allow liquid in the container under pressure to be released through a transfer line to be sprayed from the nozzles, and a remote controller for operating the drone. The invention provides a specialized drone that is able to spray liquid solutions over a wide strip of the field at a height close to crop canopy to achieve high efficiency and precision and reduced drift of sprays while the drone flies at a relatively high above the crop canopy for safe operation and avoid damage to crop by air turbulence.

Claims

1. A drone for agriculture comprises: a frame with a slender beam structure in the middle and a base structure at each end of the beam structure, a cluster of at least three motors with propellers on each of the two base structures of the frame, a tubing element with an array of dispensing elements being suspended below the beam structure of the frame retractably with wires, a distance sensor for detecting the height of the drone, a power source, an antenna for sending and receiving communication signals, and a container;

2. The drone as in the claim 1, wherein the two clusters of motors with propellers on the two base structures of the frame are mounted to the front base and the rear base rotatably through rotatable arms, and at least one rotatable arm on the front base and one rotatable arm on the rear base are oriented horizontally along the longitudinal axis of the beam, and at least one pair propeller motors on the front base and one pair propeller motors on the rear base are positioned on two sides of the longitudinal axis of the drone and have rotatable arms oriented horizontally and in perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;

3. The drone as in the claim 1, wherein the tubing element has an array of elongated stems sprouted from the tubing element and the array of dispensing elements are positioned at tips of the elongated stems;

4. The drone as in the claim 1, wherein the dispensing elements are nozzles;

5. The drone as in the claim 1, wherein the power source comprises a rechargeable battery;

6. The drone as in the claim 1, wherein the power source comprises a generator and a rechargeable battery;

7. The drone as in the claim 1 further comprises an onboard computer system with functions of storing and processing data and signals, operating sensors, control power supplies to all electronic components, a camera for taking photographs and videos, a module for receiving signals from a geographical positioning or navigation satellite, and a remote controller;

8. The drone as in the claim 1 further comprises an air pump connected to the said container to maintain a positive pressure in the container, an electric valve on the container to control flow of a liquid material from the container through the transfer line and the tubing to dispensing elements.

9. A drone for agriculture comprises: (a) a frame with a slender rigid beam in the middle and two base structures at the two ends, (b) at least three motors with propellers rotatably mounted to each of the two base structures of the frame, (c) a tubing element with an array of nozzles suspended below the said beam with retractable wires, (d) a power source positioned in one of the bases, (e) a remote controller, (f) at least one distance detector for measuring the height of the drone above the ground, (g) an antenna for sending and receiving communication signals, (h) a computer system to control movements of the drone and communication with the remote controller, (i) a container for a liquid material with a caped opening for refilling and an air pump to maintain a positive pressure in the container and electronic valve to allow the liquid material in the container under pressure to be released through a transfer line to be sprayed from the nozzles.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention showing a rigid tube with spray nozzles retracted.

[0014] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention showing the rigid tube with spray nozzles released and suspended at a distance below the beam structure of the frame.

[0015] FIG. 3 is a front view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention showing the front motor with propeller tilted to propel the drone moving toward the side way.

[0016] FIG. 4 is a side view of the front base of the preferred embodiment of the present invention showing the side motors with propellers tilted to propel the drone moving forward.

[0017] FIG. 5 is a side view of the front base of the preferred embodiment of the present invention showing interconnections of components in the front base structure of the drone.

[0018] FIG. 6 is a side view of the rear base of the preferred embodiment of the present invention showing interconnections of components in the rear base structure of the drone.

[0019] FIG. 7 is a prospective view of the remote controller of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] With reference to FIG. 1 for a prospective of an preferred embodiment 10, the drone of the current invention comprises a frame with a rigid light beam structure 14 in the middle and a front base structure 12 and a rear base structure 16 at the two ends of the beam structure 14, an antenna 42 for sending and receiving communication signals, a front motor 18 on an arm 20, two pairs of side motors 22 on side arms 24 on the front base 12, a rear motor 28 on an arm 30 and a pair of side motors 32 on side arms 34 on the rear base 16, a propeller 26 on each of the motors 18, 22, 28, and 32, a rigid tube 44 has an array of sprouted stems 46 and nozzles 48 at the tips of the stems 46 and the rigid tube 44 is retractably suspended below the beam 14 and is at a retracted state next to the beam 14, landing gears 36 and 38 on the bottoms of the front base 12 and the rear base 16 respectively.

[0021] With reference to FIG. 2 for an another prospective view 40 of the preferred embodiment, the rigid tube 44 is retractably suspended with two wires 52A and 52B from the beam 14 and is in a released status with some distance below the beam 14, a transfer line 54 extending from the beam 14 to the rigid tube 44 and the nozzles 48.

[0022] With references to FIGS. 1 and 2, the drone of the preferred embodiment 10, wherein the arms 20 and 30 for the front motor 18 and the rear motor 28 respectively are oriented horizontally along the axis of the beam 14 and the side arms 24 of the side motors 22 and the side arms 34 of the side motors 32 on the front base 12 and the rear base 16 respectively are oriented horizontally and are in perpendicular to the beam 14. Furthermore, all arms of propeller motors are rotatable.

[0023] FIG. 3 for a front view 50 of the preferred embodiment of the present invention shows the front motor 18 tilted counterclockwise to propel the drone flying sideway with the rigid tube 44 with the nozzle 48 on the stem 46 suspended in the air with wire 52A at a height below the front base 12, and a distance sensor 56 at the bottom of the front base 12.

[0024] FIG. 4 for a side view 60 of the front base 12 of the preferred embodiment of the current invention shows counterclockwise tilting of the motors 22 on the side of the front base 12 to propel the drone moving forward, the distance sensor 56, a camera 54, and the landing gear 36.

[0025] With reference to FIG. 5 for a side view 70 of components of the front base 12, the rotatable arm 20 of the front motor 18 is operated by the motor 72. A generator 58 provides power to a rechargeable battery 62. A computer system 64 controls the generator 58, motors 66, 72, 68, a distance sensor 56, and a camera 54. A cable cluster 74 provides connections between the computer system 64 and components housed in the rear base for power distribution and communication. The motors 66 and 68 operate rotatable arms 24. An antenna 42 is on the base 12 and linked to the computer system 64.

[0026] With reference to FIG. 6 for a side view 80 of components in the rear base 16 of the preferred embodiment, the drone further comprises a container 76 for a liquid material 88, an element 100 to distribute power and control signals from the cable cluster 74, a distance sensor 96 for measuring the height of the drone, and a motor 104 to control the turning of the rotatable arm 34 of the side propeller motors 32 as in FIGS. 1 and 2. The container 76 has an opening 78 with a cap 82 and has an air pump 84 at top to maintain positive pressure in the container 76. The container 76 is also connected to an electric valve 86 and the valve 86 controls flow of the liquid material 88 through a tube 90 and the transfer line 92. The drone further comprises a motor 102 to turn the rotatable arm 30 of the motor 28 and a motor 104 to turn the rotatable arm 34 of the motor 32 as in FIGS. 1 and 2. The drone as in the FIG. 6 further comprises a motor 106A to turn a reel 106B to pull or release the suspension wires 52A and 52B to control the position of the rigid tube 44 as in FIGS. 1 and 2. As showing in FIG. 6, the beam 14 has a pair of pulley rolls 112 to allow the wire 52B to pass through so the rigid tube 44 as in FIGS. 1 and 2 can be released or retracted from the beam 14 by turning the reel 106B at different directions.

[0027] With reference to FIG. 7, the drone of the present invention further comprises a remote controller 120 and the remote controller 120 comprises a screen 122 and a base 114 with a pair of joysticks 116A and 116B and a plurality of number of control keys 118A, 118B, and 118C for power on/off, return to home base, and sprayer on/off functions.