Unmanned mobile power unit for agricultural purposes
It is shown that the basis of robotic technologies in plant cultivation is an unmanned mobile power unit for agricultural purposes on wheeled or tracked platform with hybrid power plant, motion control and machine vision equipment. Description of software algorithm and schematic circuit diagram of motion control are given. It is noted that machine vision is an integral part of working organs, because much of the information about the state of plants (growth rate, maturity degree, disease) is received through visual contact, as well as through systems of motion control and precise positioning. This information allows the robotic working organs to find the technological solutions and implement the required operations, and the unmanned mobile power unit to move on process route. Another fundamental function of unmanned mobile power unit is positioning and motion control on required trajectory. A brief analysis of implementation of this function by means of satellite navigation or ground facilities of positioning including machine vision and target indication is given. Satellite navigation systems provide positioning and identification on large areas, but do not work indoors. Network wireless system of local positioning allows to control the location and motion of objects and reliably identify them both outside and inside the premises. Combined application of such systems allows to extend the motion control of vehicles and agricultural machines to areas not directly visible for satellites: covered yards, buildings. That creates additional opportunities for control of local movements of products and personnel in industrial and non-industrial premises of closed and open type.