Autonomous and self-sufficient precision agriculture management system

This information and technology based agriculture management system aims at the application of technologies and principles to identify, analyze and manage spatial and temporal variability associated with all aspects of agricultural production within fields.

How we do it?

In collaboration with the farmer and agronomists we are performing technical analysis. Throughout this analysis we define the parameters that we have to measure and monitor in order to achieve the desired targets (e.g. increase the production, make more efferent the irrigation procedure, control and correct the climate in a wine cellar, etc.).

Following we are designing the unique installation per case and adapting accordingly the sensor network and internet communication setup.

Analytics

Throughout our cloud platform the farmer, using a friendly interface, can visualise the data from his farm. He can identify in real time critical issues (e.g. sudden temperature rise in a wine cellar during summer time) and act accordingly. Furthermore the data analysis can help them with their decisions.

External sources

In some cases we are using Earth Observation Satellite data (mostly weather data) which we are using as an input in the cloud platform to improve the analytics.

Communication

Access to the cloud is provided either using the local Wi-Fi (when its is possible, e.g. wineries and wine cellars) or 4G networks. There are also cases that the farmers don’t want to spend extra money for telecom connectivity costs. In that cases our autonomous sensor networks can operate 24/7 without any external connection through the internet( e.g. adaptive and self sufficient irrigation management systems).

Indicative parameters that we are measuring, indoor and outdoor, are: temperatures, soil moisture, air humidity, CO2 concentration, soil temperature, weather parameters, solar radiation, etc.

Some highlights of our IoT smart agriculture system:

- It is easy to be installed and used by the farmers themselves.
- It is a scalable solution. It covers from a small installation (e.g. a small family cellar) to large areas (e.g. vineyards, multiple buildings, warehouses, etc).
- Plug n’ Play (turn on the power, set the sensors and get values).
- Low maintenance cost.
- Low power solution. Sensors and nodes in specific cases are distributed in hardly accessible areas, where fixed power lines are not easy accessible, batteries are used.
- Extendable. The user can add extra sensors any time he wants, without having any technical knowledge.
- Real time data for decision making.
- Remote Programming.
- Immediately detects a potential failure (reset, replace, or recalibrate the sensor, etc.).
- Bidirectional control: For example, the user will have the option available to choose the period for acquiring new measures.
- Able to incorporate data that making the decision making more accurate and effective from external sources, e.g. satellite meteorological data - predictions, imagery from drones, etc).