SMART Drones

UAV platform for testing new sensor technologies in precision agriculture

SMART Drones

Funding body

University of New England, Seed Grant

Overview of project and proposed outcomes

UNE-PARG is developing a remotely-piloted aircraft (RPA) capability to support field data collection, new sensor development and image-calibration work involving satellite and aerial images. The portable, unmanned autonomous aerial vehicles (UAV's) will serve as  platforms for field-testing new sensor technologies, as well as collecting crop and pasture performance data in response to spatially-variable nutrient management. UNE -PARG have two systems.
A  DJI Phantom 2 is equipped with a first-person viewer (FPV) and video/still photo recording system for use as an 'eye in the sky'. A Steadi-drone QU4D-X, with an 8 kg carrying capacity and up to one hour endurance is used to deploy new biomass sensor systems for evaluation over field trials.

Project participants

University of New England

Key contact person details

Prof David Lamb, UNE-PARG 0428 886088, dlamb@une.edu.au