TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a computer-implemented method for providing application data for an agricultural application product for applying an agricultural application product only in a target area of an agricultural field, homogeneous, and in a desired amount, a system for providing application data for an agricultural application product for applying an agricultural application product only in a target area of an agricultural field, homogeneous, and in a desired amount, an application device for applying an agricultural application product onto a target area of an agricultural field, a use of control data for an application device, and a computer program element.

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

The general background of this disclosure is the applying of agricultural application products like fertilizers on the soil of an agricultural field, in particular on a target area of the agricultural field, and is the treatment of plants in the target area of the agricultural field, which may be an agricultural field, a greenhouse, or the like.

In common agricultural practice, agricultural application products are applied in a nontarget manner, in pre-emergence, post-emergence or a combination of these conditions. In these cases, the drift of the agricultural application products during the application on the agricultural field is not considered to be relevant. Since the drift leads to a displacement of the particles/molecules of the agricultural application products, agricultural application products are not only applied in the target areas of the agricultural field. Further, the displacement of the agricultural application products by the drift leads to an inhomogeneous distribution of the agricultural application products in the agricultural field and provides not desired amounts of agricultural application products to the target area of the agricultural field. Hence, in the common agricultural practice, agricultural application products are applied in a non-ideal manner. The application of agricultural application products on an agricultural field in a non-ideal manner leads to environmental pollution, to groundwater pollution, and/or to the decrease of unwanted biomass on the agricultural field.

It has been found that a need exists for an alternative and smarter way of applying an agricultural application product in an ideal manner, i.e. only in the target area of an agricultural field, homogenous, and with the desired amount. Through precise/ideal application of the agricultural application product, i.e. by incorporating the drift of the agricultural application product in the application data, negative influences on the environment, groundwater, crop plants or weed plants can be significantly decreased. Further, by taking into account the drift of the agricultural application products, only desired amounts of agricultural application products are provided on the agricultural field and only the target areas are provided with agricultural application products. Therefore, also resources can be saved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-implemented method for providing application data for an agricultural application product for applying an agricultural application product only in a target area of an agricultural field, homogeneous, and in a desired amount, comprising the following steps:

- providing at least one environmental parameter and configuration parameter of an application device;

- providing a drift model which determines the drift of the agricultural application product to be applied onto the target area of the agricultural field based on the provided at least one environmental parameter and configuration parameter of an application device;

- providing output data of the drift model, indicative of the drift of an agricultural application product to be applied onto the target area of the agricultural field; and

- providing application data of the agricultural application product at least based on the output data of the drift model, wherein the configuration parameter includes the drop size distribution. In a further aspect of the present disclosure, a system for providing application data for an agricultural application product for applying an agricultural application product only in a target area of an agricultural field, homogeneous, and in a desired amount, comprising: a first providing unit configured to provide at least one environmental parameter and configuration parameter of an application device; a second providing unit configured to provide a drift model which determines the drift of the agricultural application product to be applied onto the target area of the agricultural field based on the provided at least one environmental parameter and configuration parameter of an application device; a third providing unit configured to provide output data of the drift model, indicating the drift of an agricultural application product being to be onto the target area of the agricultural field; and a fourth providing unit configured to provide application data of the agricultural application product at least based on the output data of the drift model, wherein the configuration parameter includes the drop size distribution.

In a further aspect, an application device for applying an agricultural application product onto a target area of an agricultural field controlled by control data being provided by the method disclosed herein is presented.

In a further aspect, a use of control data obtained by the method disclosed herein for operating an application device is presented.

In a further aspect, a computer element, in particular a computer program product or a computer readable medium, with instructions, which when executed on computing device(s) is configured to carry out the steps of any of the method disclosed herein in a system disclosed herein is presented.

Any disclosure and embodiments described herein relate to the method, the system, the application device, the computer program element lined out above and vice versa. Advantageously, the benefits provided by any of the embodiments and examples equally apply to all other embodiments and examples and vice versa. As used herein ..determining" also includes „ initiating or causing to determine, estimating, calculating, modelizing", and “providing” also includes “initiating or causing to determine, generate, select, measure, send or receive”.

The method, system, application device and computer element disclosed herein provide an efficient, sustainable and robust way for providing application data for an agricultural application product for applying an agricultural application product only in a target area of an agricultural field, homogeneous, and in a desired amount. In particular, the efficient, sustainable, and robust way for providing application data of the agricultural application product is at least based on the output data of the drift model, i.e. by incorporating a determined drift of the agricultural application product in the application data. Therefore, an incorporation of a determined drift of the agricultural application product in the application data leads to an ideally application of agricultural application product only in the target area, in a homogenous manner, and with a desired amount, such that negative influences on the environment, groundwater, crop plants or weed plants can be significantly decreased and prevented. Further, resistances caused by underdosing in a target area due to drift can be avoided/reduced and/or resistances caused by dosing in non-target areas can be avoided/reduced. Furthermore, by including the drop size distribution into the method, the accuracy of the provided application data of the efficient, sustainable and robust way for providing application data for an agricultural application product can be significantly increased, because the whole spectrum of drop sizes are included respectively taken into account in the determination of the drift. This is important, especially since drops with small sizes are strongly influenced by the drift. Therefore, the method, system, application device and computer element disclosed herein have an increased accuracy compared to methods, systems etc. using the median or the average of the drop sizes in the determination of the drift.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an efficient, sustainable and robust way for providing application data for an agricultural application product for applying an agricultural application product only in a target area of an agricultural field, homogeneous, and in a desired amount, wherein these provided application data have an increased accuracy. These and other objects, which become apparent upon reading the following description, are solved by the subject matters of the independent claims. The dependent claims refer to preferred embodiments of the invention.

The agricultural application product is to be understood broadly in the present case and comprises any object or material being provided onto the soil or the plant, in particular in a target area, of an agricultural field leading to a higher amount of nutrient in the soil and/or being useful for the protection of crop plants. In the context of the present invention, the term agricultural application product includes but is not limited to:

- chemical products such as fungicide, insecticide, acaricide, molluscicide, nematicide, avicide, pesticide, rodenticide, repellant, bactericide, biocide, plant growth regulators, fertilizers, pheromones or any combination thereof.

- biological products such as microorganisms and extracts thereof useful as fungicide (biofungicide), herbicide (bioherbicide), insecticide (bioinsecticide), acaricide (bioacaricide), molluscicide (biomolluscicide), nematicide (bionematicide), avicide, piscicide, rodenticide, repellant, bactericide, biocide, or any combination thereof.

The term agricultural field as used herein refers to an agricultural field to be treated. The agricultural field may be any plant or crop cultivation area, such as a farming field, a greenhouse, or the like. A plant may be a crop, a weed, a volunteer plant, a crop from a previous growing season, a beneficial plant or any other plant present on the agricultural field. The agricultural field may be identified through its geographical location or georeferenced location data. A reference coordinate, a size and/or a shape may be used to further specify the agricultural field. The agricultural field may be separated in areas which have to be treated, so called target areas, and areas which have not to be treated, so called non-target areas. Crop plants being planted in the agricultural field are only arranged within the target areas of the agricultural field.

The term application unit is to be understood broadly in the present case and comprises any device configured to apply an agricultural application product onto the soil of an agricultural field, a crop plant and/or a weed plant. The application unit may be an elastic arm, a robotic arm, in particular a single- or multi-articulated robot arm, or a stiff arm at which at least one outlet, respectively nozzle, of the crop protection product is arranged, but is not limited thereto. The outlet of the agricultural application product may be a spot spray equipment or broad band spray equipment. The application unit may be arranged on the application device. In case of an application of a plurality of different agricultural application products, the application unit may comprise a plurality of different tanks and different outlets for each different agricultural application product, wherein each of the different tanks and the different outlets can be arranged e.g. on a separate arm. The application unit may be a spot sprayer or a broad band sprayer, but is not limited thereto.

The application device is to be understood broadly in the present case and comprises any device being configured to apply an agricultural application product onto the soil of an agricultural field and/or onto the plants on the agricultural field. The application device may be configured to traverse the agricultural field. The application device may be a ground or an air vehicle, e.g. a tractor-mounted vehicle, a self-propelled sprayer, a rail vehicle, a robot, an aircraft, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a drone, or the like. The application device may be equipped with one or more application unit(s).

The term drift as used herein refers to a shift/dislocation of particles/molecules of the agricultural application product after leaving the outlet/nozzle. The drift may include thedrop drift of the agricultural application product during the movement/arrangement of the drops of the agricultural field from leaving the outlet/nozzle to arriving at the surface of the soil and/or the surface of the plants. Additionally, the drift may include the drift based on the volatilization of the agricultural application product in the air between the outlet/nozzle and the arriving at the surface of the soil and/or the surface of the plants and/or include the drift based on the volatilization of the agricultural application product on the surface of the soil and/or surface of the plants. The drop drift may be a wind-driven drift and/or a drift being driven by the application unit, but is not limited thereto. For instance, the drop drift being driven by the application unit includes drifts being driven by the speed of the application unit, the sluggishness during accelerating of the application unit, the braking of the application unit, the cornering of the application unit and/or rotor motions of the application unit. The amount of the drop drift of an agricultural application product may depend on e.g. the wind speed, the wind direction, the size of the drops, in particular the number of particles/molecules, of the agricultural application product and the weight of the drops, in particular the number of particles/molecules, of the agricultural application product, but is not limited thereto. Hence, the wind speed, wind direction and the drop size ration are mostly relevant for the drop drift, in particular the extent of the drop drift. Further parameters, like air temperature, velocity, and air humidity, may also be capable to have an influence on the amount of the drop drift.

The amount of the drift based on the volatilization of the agricultural application product in the air between the outlet/nozzle and the arriving at the surface and/or on the surface of the soil and/or the surface of the plants may be driven by the vapor pressure curve, the relative humidity, the air temperature, the wind speed and/or the wind direction, but is not limited thereto. Additionally, the amount of the drift based on the volatilization may be driven by the size of the drops leaving the outlet/nozzle, especially since different sizes of the drops may have different volatilization characteristics, in particular evaporation characteristics. In other words, this volatilization based drift may include or takes into account that small drops of the agricultural application product volatilize, e.g. based in high air temperatures and low relative humidity, during the movement/arrangement of the drops of the agricultural field from leaving the outlet/nozzle to arriving at the surface of the soil and/or the surface of the plants, the air including the particles/molecules of the volatilized small drops of the agricultural application product shiftes/dislocates by the wind, and the volatilized small drops of the agricultural application product in the air condenses, e.g. based on low air temperatures, at another location.

The amount of the drift based on the volatilization of the agricultural application product on the surface of the soil and/or surface of the plants may be driven by the vapor pressure curve, the relative humidity, the air temperature, the soil temperature, the soil humidity, the soil fluid absorbability, the plant temperature, the wind speed and/or the wind direction, but is not limited thereto. Additionally, the amount of the drift based on the volatilization may be driven by the size of the drops leaving the outlet/nozzle, especially since different sizes of the drops may have different volatilization characteristics, in particular evaporation characteristics. In other words, this volatilization based drift may include or takes into account that small drops of the agricultural application product volatilize, e.g. based in high air temperatures and low relative humidity, on the surface of the soil and/or the surface of the plants, the air including the particles/molecules of the volatilized small drops of the agricultural application product shifts/dislocates by the wind, and the volatilized small drops of the agricultural application product in the air condenses, e.g. based on low air temperatures, at another location. The amount of the drift is presented by a two-dimensional or three-dimensional vector indicating a direction and a magnitude. Alternatively and/or additionally, the amount of drift may be also presented by an amount of magnitude having the unit cm and an azimuth direction angle having the unit degree. The drift may have an extent from 1 meter to 250 meter and more, depending on the wind speed and the size of the particles/molecules of the agricultural application product and the weight of the particles/molecules of the agricultural application product.

The term environmental parameter as user herein is to be understood broadly in the present case and represents any parameter, data or combination of parameters, data of the environment having an influence on the amount of drift of particles/molecules of the agricultural application product. The environmental parameter may be the wind speed, the wind direction, the air temperature, the air humidity, in particular relative air humidity, soil type, the soil humidity, the soil temperature, the soil structure, crop plant types, crop plant height, parameters/variables indicating the orology, i.e. hills and valley in the surface of the agricultural field, parameters/variables indicating natural obstacles like single trees, tree rows, bushes and shrubbery, and/or parameters/variables indicating artificial obstacles like walls and fences, but are not limited thereto. The orology, natural obstacles and artificial obstacles can eliminate, weaken or improve the wind speed and/or deflect the wind direction. The natural and/or artificial obstacles may be provided as parameters or data indicating the geometry of the obstacles, i.e. the form, the height, the type, the spatial extension of the obstacles, and/or as parameters or data indicating the permeability of the obstacles for air, in particular wind, and/or vapor, in particular vapor of the agricultural application product. In other words, the obstacles may be handled as porous objects with droplet transmission capability and/or wind transmission capability depending on the plant properties, i.e. plant types. These data or parameters can be preset, pre-defined or pre-determined by a plurality of field experiments, but is not limited thereto. Alternatively or additionally, these data or parameter can be also determined or estimated by the drift model. These data may be 2 dimensional data or 3 dimensional data. For instance, these data or parameter may be a probability of sticking per unit distance travelled through each porous region. If this probability is high, then the droplets will basically all stick the instant they enter the region. As the probability decreases then more will pass through. The probability then can be defined as a function of obstacle properties in future (if needed). The location and the number of the obstacles in the agricultural field may be provided respectively identified by image recognition or individually set, but is not limited thereto.

The environmental parameter may be one-dimensional, two-dimensional or three- dimensional parameter/data. Alternatively or additionally, the environmental parameter may be predicted parameter, e.g. weather data for a future point in time, provided by a weather prediction model/weather forecast model. The environmental parameter are provided in high spatially, e.g. 1 meter x 1 meter blocks, and temporal, e.g. in 30 second time steps, resolution.

The term configuration parameter as user herein is to be understood broadly in the present case and represents any parameter/data or combination of parameter/data of the application device, the application unit and/or the agricultural application product. The parameter/data of the application device may include speed of the application device, the position (longitude and latitude e.g. by GPS-System) of the application device, the length of the application device, the weight of the application device, the moving direction, and the width of the application device, but is not limited thereto. The parameter/data of the application unit, i.e. the application unit configuration parameter, may include the length of the boom, the number of outlets/nozzles, the outlet/nozzle diameter, the outlet/nozzle velocity, the sprayed volume in liter per hectare, the sprayed area per second, the total sprayed volume rate, the outlet/nozzle type, the form of the outlet/nozzle, the volume flow rate of the outlets/nozzles of the application unit, in particular the pressure and the geometry of the outlets/nozzles of the application unit, the drop size distribution/classification, the outlet/nozzle exit speed and/or the location of the outlet/nozzle, i.e. the precise arrangement of the outlets/nozzles on the application unit and the height/distance between the outlets/nozzles and the soil surface, but are not limited thereto. The outlet/nozzle type, the form of the outlet/nozzle, the volume flow rate of the outlets/nozzles of the application unit, the drop size distribution, the outlet/nozzle exit speed and/or the location of the outlet/nozzle may be fix or adjustable/changeable. Further, the parameter/data of the application unit include the droplet size ratio/distribution being a function of the geometry of the nozzle, the pressure, and the flow rate. The parameter/data of the agricultural application product may include the weight of the particles/molecules of the agricultural application product, the density, the viscosity, the surface tension, the temperature of the agricultural application product, the state of aggregation of the agricultural application product, the size of the drops of the agricultural application product, the vapor pressure curve of the agricultural application product, and/or the material characteristics, e.g. powder, gritty form, but are not limited thereto. Alternatively or additively, the configuration parameter may comprise application rate data indicating/providing a distribution of humidity, solar irradiance and/or nutrient content of the soil in the agricultural field. The application rate data may be provided as a map, but is not limited thereto. The configuration parameter may be one-dimensional, two- dimensional or three-dimensional parameter/data. Alternatively or additionally, the configuration parameter may be predicted parameter provided by a prediction model/forecast model.

The term drop size distribution respectively drop size classification as used herein is to be understood broadly in the present case and represents any data indicating a classification and/or a distribution of the drop size in a spray. The drop size distribution may be pre-set, pre-provided, pre-determiner or determined based on the outlet/nozzle type, the form of the outlet/nozzle, the volume flow rate of the outlets/nozzles of the application unit, in particular the pressure and the geometry of the outlets/nozzles of the application unit, the outlet/nozzle exit speed and/or data of the application product like viscosity, but is not limited thereto. Additionally or alternatively, the drop size distribution can be measured. For instance, the drop size distribution respectively classification may comprise the classes very fine, fine, fine medium, medium, coarse and very coarse, but is not limited thereto. In this context, each one of the classes of the drop size distribution/classification has its own distribution curve, e.g. Gaussian curve, for the distribution for the drops belonging to the class very fine etc.

The term drift model as user herein is to be understood broadly in the present case and represents any model being capable to estimate, determine or calculate the drift of the agricultural application products. The drift model may be a data driven model, a physical model, a prediction model, a 3D Computual Fluid Dynamic, CFD, simulation and/or a combination thereof, but is not limited thereto. For instance, the drift model may be a 3D CFD simulation model being data driven. Additively, the drift model may be provided as one or more machine learning algorithms. The drift model may be configured to provide output data in a high spatially and temporal resolution, in particular the high spatially and temporal resolution of the drift. The drift may be modeled by the drift model in the high spatially resolution, e.g. 1 meter x 1 meter blocks, and temporal resolution, e.g. in 30 second time steps. Additionally or alternatively, the drift model may be configured for estimate, determine or calculate, in particular modelling, the wind i.e. wind speed and wind direction, the temperature distribution, the humidity distribution, the local velocity distribution, the volatilization of the agricultural application product in the air, on the soil and/or on the plants, and/or the product concentration local distribution based on the environmental parameter and/or the configuration parameter and for include the estimated, determined or calculated, in particular modelled, parameter into the estimation, determination or calculation the drift of the agricultural application products.

The term output data as user herein is to be understood broadly in the present case and represents any data being outputted by the drift module. The output data of the drift module indicate the drift of the agricultural application products. The output data may be a vector, a vector map, a drift curve, but is not limited thereto. The drift curve is a curve representing the drift of the concentration of the agricultural application product as a function of the distance to the target location. Alternatively, the drift curve is a curve representing the drift as a function of the distance from the spray nozzle and the amount of the value of the applied agricultural product reaching the soil in percent. The output data are provided for the target areas and/or non-target areas, in particular for the target areas in which crop plants being planted in the agricultural field are only arranged/planted. Alternatively, the output data may be provided for the whole region of the agricultural field, for each one of a plurality of sub-regions of the agricultural field, wherein the sum of all sub-regions results in the whole region of the agricultural field, or for selected/preselected sub-regions, e.g. every second, of the agricultural field, but is not limited thereto. Alternatively or additively, the output data may be provided for regions, in particular adjacent regions, out of the agricultural field. Alternatively or additively, the output data may be provided once before an application of the agricultural application product onto an agricultural field begins, continuously, e.g. each second, during the application of the agricultural application product onto an agricultural field, at selected time steps, e.g. each 10 seconds or each 30 seconds, during the application of the agricultural application product onto an agricultural field or at variation of the provided at least one environmental parameter and/or configuration parameter of an application device, but is not limited thereto. The selected time steps may be pre-selected. The variation may be a difference to a preset environmental parameter and/or provides/measured/determined environmental parameter and/or configuration parameter being provided directly before the application of an agricultural application product starts. The variation may be identified by exceeding a threshold, but is not limited thereto. The output parameter may be provided in a high spatially and temporal resolution. The output data of the drift model are provided in the high spatially resolution, e.g. 1 meter x 1 meter blocks, and temporal resolution, e.g. in 30 second time steps.

The term application data as used herein is to be understood broadly in the present case and represents any data providing information about how the at least one configuration parameter have to be selected/adapted of based on the at least one environmental parameter for providing an application of an agricultural application product in and ideal manner, i.e. only in the target area, homogenous, and in the desired amount. The application data being indicative how the at least one configuration parameter have to be selected/adapted comprise the to be used outlet/nozzle type, the to be used outlet/nozzle form, the to be used speed of the application device, the to be used moving direction, the to be used volume flow rate of the outlets/nozzles of the application unit, in particular the to be used pressure and the to be used geometry of the outlets/nozzles of the application unit, the to be used drop size distribution, the to be used outlet/nozzle exit speed and/or the to be used location of the outlet/nozzle, e.g. the to be used height/distance between the outlets/nozzles and the soil surface, but not limited thereto, providing an application of an agricultural application product in an ideal manner and therefore leading to a reduction of negative influences on the environment and ground water. Furthermore, the application data being indicative how the at least one configuration parameter have to be selected/adapted may include the dose rate data. The dose rate is the quantity of fluid absorbed or delivered per unit time. The dose rate for applying an agricultural application product on the agricultural field may be provided for the non-target area and/or target area of the agricultural field. Additionally, the application data may include information comprising an application time, i.e. data comprising at least one time window for applying an agricultural application product on the agricultural field, which agricultural application product have to be applied onto the agricultural field, and where the target areas are on the agricultural field. Furthermore, the application data may be at least one application map. The application map may be a 2-dimensional or a 3-dimensional map. The application data may comprise instructions, tasks for application devices, and/or applicators to guide a soil property dependent variable rate application of the soil herbicide product. The application data are at least based on the output data of the drift model. The application data may be provided in a high spatially, e.g. 1 meter x 1 meter blocks, and temporal, e.g. in 30 second time steps, resolution. Additionally and/or alternatively, the application data can be recommended, proposed or suggested to an user/farmer as a proposal for the selection/adaption of the at least one configuration parameter based on the at least one environmental parameter for providing an application of an agricultural application product in and ideal manner, i.e. only in the target area, homogenous, and in the desired amount. The application data can be recommended to the user/farmer by a user interface and/or a display. The application data being recommended to the user/farmer may include the speed of an agricultural device and/or an application unit configuration for providing an application of an agricultural application product only in a target area of the agricultural field, homogeneous, and in a desired amount.

The term providing as user herein is to be understood broadly in the present case and represents any method for receiving, measuring, determining, generating, selecting, sending, or receiving of parameter or data. For instance, the at least one environmental parameter, e.g. weather data, may be provided by at least one sensor being arranged at the application device or at the application unit, by receiving data via the internet, cloud or radio of remote sensing methods, of global models, of mesoscale models, of microscale models, of short-time weather forecasts, of long-time weather forecasts, but is not limited thereto. Alternatively or additionally, parameter/ data can be provided or changed/adapted by a manual input by the user via a user interface.

The control data as used herein is to be understood broadly in the present case and relates to any data configured to operate and control the application device. The control data are provided by a control unit and may be configured to control one or more technical means of the application device, e.g. the drive control of the application device, and to control the application of crop protecting products in an ideal manner, i.e. only in the target area, homogenous, and in the desired amount, but is not limited thereto. The control data may be one-dimensional, two-dimensional or three-dimensional data. The control data are based on the output data of the drift model and/or may be based on the application data. Additively or alternatively, the control data are capable to initiate that the recommendation data are shown or displayed via a display and/or a user interface.

The system as used herein refers to a device being arranged on, (directly) at or in the application device or the application unit.

In an embodiment the method for determining a drift of an agricultural application product to be applied onto an agricultural field, the at least one environmental parameter comprises at least one of the following: wind speed, wind direction, air temperature, air humidity, relative air humidity, soil type, the soil humidity, the soil temperature, the soil structure, crop plant types, crop plant height, orology of the agricultural field, natural obstacles in the agricultural field and artificial obstacles in the agricultural field. The comprised environmental parameter as mentioned above allow an incorporporating of the current situation in the field such that a more precise determination of the drift and a better targeting can be provided. Hence, the negative influences on the environment, groundwater, crop plants or weed plants can be significantly decreased.

In a further embodiment the method for determining a drift of an agricultural application product to be applied onto an agricultural field, the at least one configuration parameter of an agricultural device further comprises at least one of the following: application rate data, position of the agricultural device, speed of an agricultural device, agricultural application product parameter and application unit configuration parameter. By including at least one configuration parameter of an agricultural device into the determination of the drift of an agricultural application product, the exactness/correctness of the determined drift can be increased. Hence, the negative influences on the environment, groundwater, crop plants or weed plants can be significantly decreased.

In a further embodiment the method for determining a drift of an agricultural application product to be applied onto an agricultural field, the method further comprises the step of providing the application data based on the output data for displaying speed of an agricultural device and/or an application unit configuration for providing an application of an agricultural application product only in a target area of the agricultural field, homogeneous, and in a desired amount to a user. By providing application data including specific and precise settings of the application device and/or application unit to an user, the application of an agricultural application product can be provided in and ideal manner, i.e. only in the target area, homogenous, and in the desired amount. Hence, the negative influences on the environment, groundwater, crop plants or weed plants can be significantly decreased.

In a further embodiment the method for determining a drift of an agricultural application product to be applied onto an agricultural field, the method further comprises the step of providing control data based on the output data for at least one application device for controlling the application of the agricultural application product only in a target area of an agricultural field, homogeneous, and in a desired amount. By providing control data, a controlling of application device and/or an application unit can be provided an ideal manner, i.e. only in the target area, homogenous, and in the desired amount, and in a fully or half automated way. Therefore, an applying of the agricultural application product in an ideal manner can be provided. Hence, the negative influences on the environment, groundwater, crop plants or weed plants can be significantly decreased.

In a further embodiment the method for determining a drift of an agricultural application product to be applied onto an agricultural field, the output data comprises a drift curve.

In a further embodiment the method for determining a drift of an agricultural application product to be applied onto an agricultural field, the determination of the drift of the agricultural application product to be applied onto the target area of the agricultural field by the drift model is provided for the whole region of the agricultural field, for each subregion of the agricultural field or for selected sub-regions of the agricultural field. By executing the determination of the drift for the whole region of the agricultural field the computing time can be reduced. By executing the determination of the drift for each subregion of the agricultural field, the spatial resolution of the determined drift can be increased. By executing the determination of the drift for selected sub-regions of the agricultural field, the computing time can be reduced and the spatial resolution of the determined drift can be increased. Further, a more precise drift determination can be enabled. Hence, the negative influences on the environment, groundwater, crop plants or weed plants can be significantly decreased.

In a further embodiment the method for determining a drift of an agricultural application product to be applied onto an agricultural field, the determination of the drift of the agricultural application product to be applied onto the target area of the agricultural field by the drift model is provided once before an application of the agricultural application product onto the target area of the agricultural field begins, continuously during the application of the agricultural application product onto the target area of the agricultural field, at selected time steps during the application of the agricultural application product onto the target area of the agricultural field or at variation of the provided at least one environmental parameter and/or configuration parameter of an application device. By executing the determination of the drift once before an application of the agricultural application product onto an agricultural field begins, the computing time can be reduced. By executing the determination of the drift continuously during the application of the agricultural application product onto an agricultural field, the temporal/time resolution of the determined drift can be increased. By executing the determination of the drift at selected time steps during the application of the agricultural application product onto an agricultural field, or at variation of the provided at least one environmental parameter and/or configuration parameter of an application device, the computing time can be reduced and the time resolution of the determined drift can be increased. Further, a more precise drift determination can be enabled. Hence, the negative influences on the environment, groundwater, crop plants or weed plants can be significantly decreased.

In an embodiment the system for determining a drift of an agricultural application product to be applied onto an agricultural field, the system further comprises a displaying unit configured to provide the application data based on the output data for displaying speed of an agricultural device and/or an application unit configuration for providing an application of an agricultural application product only in a target area of the agricultural field, homogeneous, and in a desired amount to a user. Therefore, a validation by the user is enabled. Such a providing of the application data does not include a conveying of information to a user. In contrast, the providing of application data includes a technical representations of information directed to a technical system which will process, store or transmit that information. Therefore, the providing of the application data includes/conveys functional data and not cognitive data.

In an embodiment the system for determining a drift of an agricultural application product to be applied onto an agricultural field, the system further comprises a fifth providing unit configured for providing control data based on the output data for at least one application device for controlling the application of the agricultural application product only in a target area of an agricultural field, homogeneous, and in a desired amount.

In an embodiment the application device, the application device comprises an application unit which is a sprayer comprising a spot spray equipment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following, the present disclosure is further described with reference to the enclosed figures:

Fig. 1 illustrates a flow diagram of a computer-implemented method for providing application data for an agricultural application product for applying an agricultural application product only in a target area of an agricultural field, homogeneous, and in a desired amount;

Fig. 2 illustrates an application device for applying at least one agricultural application product onto an agricultural field;

Fig. 3 illustrates a box diagram of a system for providing application data for an agricultural application product for applying an agricultural application product only in a target area of an agricultural field, homogeneous, and in a desired amount; Fig. 4 illustrates a top view of a drift onto an agricultural field;

Fig. 5 illustrates an exemplary display/user interface for providing the application data to a user.

Fig. 6 illustrates exemplarily the different possibilities to receive and process field data.

Fig. 7 illustrates an exemplarily validation method of the drift model.

Fig. 8 illustrates a top view of a drift influenced by an obstacle onto an agricultural field.

Fig. 9 illustrates a top view of a drift influenced by the drop size distribution onto an agricultural field.

Fig.10 illustrates a drop size distribution.

Fig.11 illustrates a drop size distribution for a plurality of classes.

Fig. 12 illustrates the volatilization of the agricultural application product in the air between the outlet/nozzle and the arriving at the surface and/or on the surface of the soil and/or the surface of the plants.

Fig. 13 illustrates the volatilization of the agricultural application product on the surface of the soil and/or surface of the plants.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT

The following embodiments are mere examples for implementing the method, the system or application device disclosed herein and shall not be considered limiting. Fig. 1 illustrates a flow diagram of a computer-implemented method for providing application data for an agricultural application product for applying an agricultural application product only in a target area of an agricultural field, homogeneous, and in a desired amount. In the following, an exemplary order of the steps according to the present disclosure is explained. However, the provided order is not mandatory, i.e. all or several steps may be performed in a different order or simultaneously.

The method steps shown in Fig. 1 may be executed by the systems.

In a first step, at least one environmental parameter and at least one configuration parameter of an application device are provided. The configuration parameter are the speed of the ground vehicle, the nozzle height, the pressure, and the nozzle type being manually inputted via a user interface by a user. The environmental parameter are the wind speed in m/s and the wind direction in degree both being provided by at least one sensor being arranged at, in particular direct at, the application device. For instance, provided environmental parameter and/or configuration parameter are the droplet size, mass flow rate, the wind speed and the wind direction. The configuration parameter includes the drop size distribution.

In a second step, a drift model which determines the drift of the agricultural application product to be applied onto an agricultural field based on the provided at least one environmental parameter and configuration parameter of an application device is provided. The drift model is a physical model, in particular a 3D CFD Simulation, which uses the parameter wind speed, wind direction speed of the ground vehicle, the nozzle height, the pressure, and the nozzle type for determining the drift.

In a third step, output data of the drift model are provided, indicating the drift of an agricultural application product to be applied onto an agricultural field. The output data comprises a drift curve indicating the strength and direction of the drift.

In a fourth step, application data of the agricultural application product at least based on the output data of the drift model are provided for applying an agricultural application product only in a target area of an agricultural field, homogeneous, and in a desired amount.

Optionally, the method further comprises the step of providing application data based on the output data for displaying speed of an agricultural device and/or an application unit configuration for providing an application of an agricultural application product only in a target area of the agricultural field, homogeneous, and in a desired amount to a user. The application data are displayed on a user interface and/or display.

Optionally, the method further comprises the step of providing control data based on the output data for at least one application device for controlling the application of the agricultural application product to be applied onto an agricultural field. The control data include e.g. the speed of the tractor, the nozzle height, and the nozzle type.

Alternatively or additionally, the method further comprises the step of validating by a validation module the output data/drift by comparing the determined data with in situ measurements of the drift, and/or a target function, but is not limited thereto.

Optionally, an interaction between the recommended application data and the providing of control data may be provided. In other words the recommended application data and the providing of the control data are able to interact in such a manner that, e.g. when an user selects one of the provided application data corresponding control data leading to an application of the agricultural application product for controlling an application device and/or application unit can be automatically be provided.

Fig. 2 illustrates an application device for applying at least one agricultural application product onto an agricultural field.

The application device 21 is ground vehicle on which an application unit 22, in particular a sprayer arm, is arranged. The application unit 22 comprises at least one outlet/nozzle 29. The outlet/nozzle 29 comprises a “normal” spreading area 24 when no wind displaces the particles/molecules 26 of the agricultural application product. In case the wind 23 displaces the particles/molecules 26 of the agricultural application product, the spreading area 25 changes respectively differs to the “normal” spreading areas 24. The difference between the “normal” spreading area 24 and the spreading are 25 is called the drift. The drift leads to a shift/displacement of the application of the agricultural application product from a target areas 27 of the agricultural field to partially of fully another non-target area 28 of the agricultural field. The figure is for illustration purposes only and not to scale. The drift may be several meters.

Fig. 3 illustrates a box diagram of a system for providing application data for an agricultural application product for applying an agricultural application product only in a target area of an agricultural field, homogeneous, and in a desired amount.

The system 30 comprises a fist providing unit 31 being configured to provide at least one environmental parameter and configuration parameter of an application device. The first providing unit 31 is coupled directly or indirectly by a wire or wireless to at least one parameter providing unit/input module, not depicted. The parameter providing unit/input module for the environmental parameter can be a sensor or a weather model. The parameter providing unit/input module for the configuration parameter may be an interface, querying all relevant parameters automatically from an application unit, and user interface, a memory, and a GPS unit, but is not limited thereto. The configuration parameter includes the drop size distribution. Exemplary, the at least one parameter providing unit/input module may provide real time data like weather data, the speed of tractor, the nozzle type and the nozzle height. The first providing unit 31 provides the at least one environmental parameter and configuration parameter of an application device wireless or by wire to the system 30 for further proceeding. Further, the system 30 comprises a second providing unit 32 configured to provide a drift model which determines the drift of the agricultural application product to be applied onto an agricultural field based on the provided at least one environmental parameter and configuration parameter of an application device. In other words, the second providing unit 32 is a computing unit comprising a processor being able to execute the drift model. The second providing unit 32 receives the provided at least one environmental parameter and configuration parameter of an application device by the first providing unit 31 , uses these at least one parameter for determining a drift, and provides the determined drift/output data of the drift model wireless or by wire to the system 30 for further proceeding. Furthermore, the system 30 comprises a third providing unit 33 configured to provide output data of the drift model, indicating the drift of an agricultural application product being to be onto an agricultural field. The third providing unit 33 may be a transmitting device which receives the provided output data of the second providing unit 32 and wireless or by wire transmits the output data to the system for further proceeding or to external devices. Furthermore, the system 30 comprises a fourth providing unit 36 configured to provide application data of the agricultural application product at least based on the output data of the drift model. The fourth providing unit 36 receives the output data of the drift model and receives application data from a data service or data base and incorporates the output data in the application data for providing an application of an agricultural application product on an agricultural field in an ideal manner. The application data are provided as an application data map. Alternatively or additionally, the system 30 may comprise an optimizer module, not shown, for optimizing the application of the agricultural application product onto the agricultural field based on the determined drift of the agricultural application product to be applied on the agricultural field.

Optionally, the system 30 further comprises a displaying unit 34 being coupled to the fourth providing unit 36 by wire or wireless, wherein the displaying unit 34 is configured to provide application data based on the output data for displaying speed of an agricultural device and/or an application unit configuration to a user.

Optionally, the system 30 further comprises a fifth providing unit 35 being coupled to the fourth providing unit 36 by wire or wireless, wherein the fifth providing unit 34 is configured for providing control data based on the output data for at least one application device for controlling the application of the agricultural application product to be applied onto an agricultural field. The control data are suitable for controlling a sprayer, in particular an application unit and/or application device. Exemplary, the control data may include the speed of the tractor (two-dimensional), the nozzle height (two-dimensional), the pressure (two-dimensional), and the nozzle type (two-dimensional).

Alternatively or additionally, the system 30 further comprises a validation module, not shown, being suitable for validate the determined drift with respect to a measured drift. The validation may be provided in a separate workflow. Optionally, the displaying unit 34 may be coupled by wire or wireless to the fifth providing unit 35. The displaying unit 34 may be able to interact with the fifth providing unit 35 being configured for providing control data, such that, e.g. when an user selects one of the provided recommended application data of the displaying unit 34 corresponding control data for controlling an application device and/or application unit can be automatically provided by the fifth providing unit 35.

Fig. 4 illustrates a top view of a drift onto an agricultural field.

The agricultural field 40 is limited by the agricultural field borders 41 . Onto the agricultural field, an application device 42 on which an application unit is mounted applies an agricultural application product onto the agricultural field. The wind 43, i.e. wind speed and wind direction, leads to an drift of the applied agricultural application product in a drift area 44 in dependence of the wind speed, wind direction, the size of the particles/molecules of the agricultural application product and the weight of the particles/molecules of the agricultural application product. As depicted in Figure 4, the drift area 44 may extend beyond the agricultural field borders 41. The areas extending beyond the agricultural field borders 41 are so called non-target areas.

Fig. 5 illustrates an exemplary display/user interface for providing the application data to a user.

The display/user interface 50 may be an online web-based app. In the examples shown in Fig. 5, the application data leading to an application of an agricultural application product in and ideal manner, i.e. only in the target area, homogenous, and in the desired amount are depicted, shown, and/or provided to an user. Exemplarily, the display 50 shows the speed of an agricultural device in meter/second, the flow rate in liter/second, the nozzle high in centimeter, and the nozzle type. It will be appreciated that the layout, number, and order of the application data and the specific values of the application data are presented solely to illustrate the concept. Other layouts, numbers, orders, or application data may of course be displayed. Fig. 6 illustrates exemplarily the different possibilities to receive and process field data.

For example, field data can be obtained by all kinds of agricultural equipment 300 (e.g. a tractor 300) as so-called as-applied maps by recording the application rate at the time of application. It is also possible that such agricultural equipment comprises sensors (e.g. optical sensors, cameras, infrared sensors, soil sensors, etc.) to provide, for example, a weed distribution map. It is also possible that during harvesting the yield (e.g. in the form of biomass) is recorded by a harvesting vehicle 310. Furthermore, corresponding maps/data can be provided by land-based and/or airborne drones 320 by taking images of the field or a part of it. Finally, it is also possible that a geo-referenced visual assessment 330 is performed and that this field data is also processed. Field data collected in this way can then be merged in a computing device 340, where the data can be transmitted and computed, for example, via any wireless link, cloud applications 350 and/or working platforms 360, wherein the field data may also be processed in whole or in part in the cloud application 350 and/or in the working platform 360 (e.g., by cloud computing).

Aspects of the present disclosure relates to computer program elements configured to carry out steps of the methods described above. The computer program element might therefore be stored on a computing unit of a computing device, which might also be part of an embodiment. This computing unit may be configured to perform or induce performing of the steps of the method described above. Moreover, it may be configured to operate the components of the above described system. The computing unit can be configured to operate automatically and/or to execute the orders of a user. The computing unit may include a data processor. A computer program may be loaded into a working memory of a data processor. The data processor may thus be equipped to carry out the method according to one of the preceding embodiments. This exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure covers both, a computer program that right from the beginning uses the present disclosure and computer program that by means of an update turns an existing program into a program that uses the present disclosure. Moreover, the computer program element might be able to provide all necessary steps to fulfill the procedure of an exemplary embodiment of the method as described above. According to a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a computer readable medium, such as a CD-ROM, USB stick, a downloadable executable or the like, is presented wherein the computer readable medium has a computer program element stored on it which computer program element is described by the preceding section. A computer program may be stored and/or distributed on a suitable medium, such as an optical storage medium or a solid state medium supplied together with or as part of other hardware, but may also be distributed in other forms, such as via the internet or other wired or wireless telecommunication systems. However, the computer program may also be presented over a network like the World Wide Web and can be downloaded into the working memory of a data processor from such a network. According to a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a medium for making a computer program element available for downloading is provided, which computer program element is arranged to perform a method according to one of the previously described embodiments of the present disclosure.

Fig. 7 illustrates an exemplarily validation method of the drift model.

In a first step, at least one environmental parameter and at least one configuration parameter of an application device are provided. The configuration parameter are the speed of the ground vehicle, the nozzle height, the pressure, and the nozzle type being manually inputted via a user interface by a user. The environmental parameter are the wind speed in m/s and the wind direction in degree both being provided by at least one sensor being arranged at, in particular direct at, the application device. For instance, provided environmental parameter and configuration parameter are the droplet size, mass flow rate, the wind speed and the wind direction.

In a second step, a drift model which determines the drift of the agricultural application product to be applied onto an agricultural field based on the provided at least one environmental parameter and configuration parameter of an application device is provided. The drift model is a physical model, in particular a 3D CFD Simulation, which uses the parameter wind speed, wind direction, speed of the ground vehicle, the nozzle height, the pressure, droplet size, and the nozzle type for determining the drift. In a third step, output data of the drift model are provided, indicating the drift of an agricultural application product to be applied onto an agricultural field. The output data comprises a drift curve indicating the strength and direction of the drift.

In a fourth step, a validation proceeding is provided. The validation proceeding comprises the step of comparing the provided output data of the drift model with targets, e.g. measurements, target functions and/or reference data. The validation is provided by a comparison providing the correspondence between the provided output data of the drift model with targets. The correspondence can be provided by correlation proceedings and/or matching proceeding being above a predefined correlation value, e.g. 0.75. In case the comparison identifies a correspondence of the provided output data and the compared data, the provided output data are approved to be the basis of application data and therefore being provided as application data to a user and/or as control data. In case the comparison does not identify a correspondence of the provided output data and the compared data, the validation proceedings provides model adaption data being transferred to the drift model and leading to an adaption/amendment of the drift model in order to increase the correspondence between the output data and the compared data. Additionally, the comparison include constrains being relevant for the validated and/or compared output data. Exemplary, when the output data “nozzle high” is validated, the constraints like the high of a plant have to be included into the validation proceeding in order to reach a meaningful correspondence.

Fig. 8 illustrates a top view of a drift influenced by an obstacle onto an agricultural field. The agricultural field 80 is limited by the agricultural field borders 81 . Onto the agricultural field, an application device 82 on which an application unit is mounted applies an agricultural application product onto the agricultural field. The wind 83, i.e. wind speed and wind direction, leads to an drift of the applied agricultural application product in a drift area 84 in dependence of the wind speed, wind direction, the size of the particles/molecules of the agricultural application product and the weight of the particles/molecules of the agricultural application product. In this context, within the drift area 84 an obstacle, e.g. a tree, exists which has an effect on the drift area 84. The obstacle reduced the effect of the wind 83 on the drift such that the drift area 84 changes. The obstacles are determined by obtaining images of the field. The type of obstacle and/or the location of the obstacle may be determined by image segmentation of the obtained images, but is not limited thereto. By using the image segmentation, the geometric structure of the obstacle, i.e. size, height, form, dimensions, can be also determined. These data may be used as input data for the drift model.

Fig. 9 illustrates a top view of a drift influenced by the drop size distribution onto an agricultural field. The agricultural field 90 is limited by the agricultural field borders 91. Onto the agricultural field, an application device 92 on which an application unit is mounted applies an agricultural application product onto the agricultural field. The wind 93, i.e. wind speed and wind direction, leads to an drift of the applied agricultural application product in a drift area 94 in dependence of the wind speed, wind direction, the size of the particles/molecules of the agricultural application product, the weight of the particles/molecules and the drop size distribution of the agricultural application product. In this context, the drop size distribution is classified as very fine drop size, fine medium drop size and very coarse drop size. The drift area 94.1 of the very fine drop size is larger than the drift area 94.2 of the fine medium drop size and the drift area 94.3, if the very coarse drop size based on the weight of the drop sizes.

Fig.10 illustrates a drop size distribution. The drop size distribution of the agricultural application product as depicted in Figure 10 comprises the volume in percent as the Y axis and the droplet size in pm as the X axis. The average, depicted as dashed line, and the median, depicted as dotted line, are depicted in Figure 10.

Fig.11 illustrates a drop size distribution for a plurality of classes. The drop size distribution for a plurality of classes of the agricultural application product as depicted in Figure 11 comprises the volume in percent as the Y axis and the droplet size in pm as the X axis. The drop size distribution for the class very fine, depicted as dotted line, the drop size distribution for class fine, depicted as dashed line, the drop size distribution for the class medium, depicted as dahshed-dotted line, and drop size distribution for the class coarse, depicted as a line, are depicted in Figure 11. Each one of these drop size distributions differs to each other. Fig. 12 illustrates the volatilization of the agricultural application product in the air between the outlet/nozzle and the arriving at the surface and/or on the surface of the soil and/or the surface of the plants. The drop 111 of the agricultural application product comprises a size and a vapor pressure curve. On the drop 111 of the agricultural application product, i.e. during the drop is exposed to the air, the air temperature 112 and the air humidity 113, in particular the relative humidity, have an influence on the intensity of the volatilization 114.

Fig. 13 illustrates the volatilization of the agricultural application product on the surface of the soil and/or surface of the plants. The drop 121 of the agricultural application product comprises a size and a vapor pressure curve. On the drop 121 of the agricultural application product, i.e. during the drop is exposed to the air and to the surface 112 of the soil or the surface 112 of the plant, the air temperature 124, the air humidity 125, the soil temperature 123, the soil humidity and the soil fluid absorbability 127 or the plant temperature have an influence on the intensity of the volatilization 126.

The present disclosure has been described in conjunction with a preferred embodiment as examples as well. However, other variations can be understood and effected by those persons skilled in the art and practicing the claimed invention, from the studies of the drawings, this disclosure and the claims. Notably, in particular, the any steps presented can be performed in any order, i.e. the present invention is not limited to a specific order of these steps. Moreover, it is also not required that the different steps are performed at a certain place or at one node of a distributed system, i.e. each of the steps may be performed at a different nodes using different equipment/data processing units.

In the claims as well as in the description the word “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps and the indefinite article “a” or “a” does not exclude a plurality. A single element or other unit may fulfill the functions of several entities or items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in the mutual different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used in an advantageous implementation.