Development of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for Precision Cattle Ranching

精准养牛无人机的研制

• 批准号: 487012-2015
• 负责人: Church, JohnScott
• 金额: $ 16.09万
• 依托单位: Thompson Rivers University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: College - University Idea to Innovation Grants
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2015-01-01 至 2016-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=585890
• 关键词: Development; Unmanned; Aerial; Vehicles; Precision

Every year many British Columbia ranchers experience difficulty in retrieving cow/calf pairs off range, and spend tremendous manpower looking for lost cattle. New methods will be explored for the successful detection of cattle, and potentially even gathering and moving the animals on range, by unmanned aerial vehicles. We will develop for the cattle industry unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that are equipped with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) antennae that are able to quickly detect the location of cattle that have ultra high frequency (UHF)RFID ear tags. The project will demonstrate the value and quality of the data, the tolerance of the animals to the vehicles, and the value of the integrated UAV/UHF-RFID system for improved management of beef cattle in extensive grazing systems. We will test the best type of craft to carry the radio-frequency antennae. Flight paths will be either pre-programmed with waypoint software or flown manually. Some of the systems' features, which will be tested, include: height and distance limits, return-to-home, auto-takeoff landing, automated collision avoidance, along with the accuracy of field detection of cattle by the craft. In addition, the value of additional on board sensors including multi spectral imaging and infrared thermography will be tested on the unmanned aerial vehicles. And finally, we will determine the best type of UHF-RFID tag to use in the cattle ears with the UAV multi-rotor system. Our industry collaborator in Golden, British Columbia will provide the site locations and cattle in order to demonstrate this technology. Success will be determined by successfully identifying the location of cattle from the air via radio frequency identification by the UAV, along with successfully matching the location to the GPS on board the craft and visual confirmation of cattle by the UAV via video down-link. In addition, we will use multi spectral imagery via a specialized camera on board to do range and pasture assessment through data-processing of images collected during mapping flights.

每年，许多不列颠哥伦比亚省的牧场主都很难在牧场外找到成对的母牛/小牛， 花费大量人力寻找丢失的牛为成功检测，将探索新的方法 甚至有可能通过无人驾驶飞行器在牧场上收集和移动动物。我们 将为养牛业开发配备无线电频率的无人机（UAV）， 识别（RFID）天线，能够快速检测具有超高 射频（UHF）RFID耳标。该项目将展示数据的价值和质量， 将动物转移到车辆上，以及集成的无人机/超高频RFID系统在改善管理方面的价值 在广泛的放牧系统中饲养肉牛。我们将测试携带无线电频率的最佳飞行器 触角飞行路径将通过航路点软件预先编程或手动飞行。一些 这些系统的功能将被测试，包括：高度和距离限制，返回原位，自动起飞 着陆、自动防撞、沿着以及飞行器对牛的实地探测的准确性。在 此外，额外的车载传感器，包括多光谱成像和红外热成像的价值 将在无人机上进行测试。最后，我们将确定最佳的UHF-RFID标签类型 使用在牛耳朵上的无人机多旋翼系统。我们的行业合作伙伴在Golden，英国 哥伦比亚公司将提供场地位置和牛，以演示该技术。成功将是 通过无线电频率识别从空中成功识别牛的位置来确定， 无人机，沿着成功地将位置与飞行器上的GPS进行匹配，并进行视觉确认 无人机通过视频下行链路对牛进行监控。此外，我们将通过专门的 船上的摄像机，通过数据处理收集的图像进行牧场和牧场评估， 飞行地图