| Agriculture

Epagri research uses drones to map soil and monitor risk of crop losses

Project uses images obtained by multispectral sensors embedded in UAVs for soil mapping

03.02.2023 | 14:48 (UTC -3)

Epagri Communication

Overflight area and soil sample collection on the farm at the Epagri de Lages Experimental Station; Photo: Disclosure

Epagri/Ciram is developing research to monitor the risks of agricultural losses caused by soil variability in crops in Santa Catarina, using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), also known as drones.

“In general, farmers are unaware of the spatial variability of the soil”, reports Elisângela Benedet da Silva, researcher at Epagri/Ciram and project coordinator. She exemplifies that clay, silt and sand contents are some soil properties that can vary throughout the crop. “By employing the same management practices throughout the area, losses in productivity are aggravated in situations of water limitation”, she defines.

The research project “Use of multispectral images from UAVs and radiometry in soil mapping” uses images obtained by multispectral sensors onboard UAVs for soil mapping.

“This approach will allow a scientific assessment of the integration of Agriculture 4.0 technologies with multispectral data to monitor the risks of agricultural losses caused by soil variability in crops in Santa Catarina”, describes Elisângela. “It is expected, with this integration, to obtain more accurate and faster results in mapping soil variability, when compared to conventional techniques, favoring the adoption of differentiated management by crop areas”, he contextualizes.

Orthomosaic of images obtained by UAV in the overflight area in Lages, shown in the previous photo

Knowledge sharing

The spectral data from the soil samples will be read using suitable equipment, called a spectroradiometer, which is located in one of the laboratories on the Curitibanos campus of the Federal University of SC (UFSC). The flights will be carried out by the company Monte Verde Ltda, with a multispectral DJI Phantom 4 RTK UAV, and by Epagri, with a multispectral and thermal DJI Matrice 300 RTK UAV, purchased with resources from CNPq.

The project, which is financed with resources from Epagri, promotes the generation and sharing of scientific knowledge and innovation. The team of researchers is made up of professionals from Epagri/Ciram and the Epagri Experimental Stations in Urussanga and Lages. The UFSC and the company Monte Verde Ltda, specialized in the use of drones in agriculture, are partners in the project.

The first flights to collect soil samples were carried out between October and November, at Epagri units located in Jaguaruna, Urussanga and Lages.