AN INSTRUMENT FOR REAL TIME MEASUREMENT OF AGRICULTURAL SPRAY DEPOSITION AND DRIFT

MANY AGRICULTURAL CROPS REQUIRE APPLICATION OF PESTICIDES AND/OR HERBICIDES. THE APPLICATOR'S JOB INCLUDES TWO TASKS. FIRST IS TO ACCURATELY PLACE A SPECIFIED UNIFORM SPRAY DENSITY ONTO THE CROP OR SOIL SURFACE. SECOND IS TO MINIMIZE OR ELIMINATE DRIFT OF PARTICLES INTO SENSITIVE AREAS SUCH AS HOMES OR SCHOOLYARDS. CURRENTLY, APPLICATORS HAVE NO MEANS TO VERIFY UNIFORM COVERAGE OR DETERMINE THE EXTENT OF DRIFT IN REAL TIME WHILE THE OPPORTURNITY FOR CORRECTIVE ACTION EXISTS. THE EFFORT PROPOSED WILL DEVELOP A CALIBRATED GROUND BASED SENSOR(S) WHICH CAN COMMUNICATE TO THE PILOT/APPLICATOR: (1) THE AMOUNT OF LIQUID ACTUALLY BEING DEPOSITED, AND (2) THE ARRIVAL OF DRIFT PARTICLES IN ANY CONTROLLED OR SENSITIVE AREA BEING MONITORED. THE EFFORT WILL FIRST EVALUATE SEVERAL BASIC SENSOR DESIGNS AND THEN SELECT ONE OR MORE FOR FURTHER TESTING. TESTS WILL BE CONDUCTED IN THE LABORATORY AND FIELD, WITH AERIAL AND GROUND BASED SPRAY EQUIPMENT BEING USED. SENSOR OUTPUT(S) WILL BE COMMUNICATED TO THE AIRCRAFT OR TRACTOR, PROVIDING REAL TIME MONITORING DIRECTLY TO THE APPLICATOR. COMPLETION OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE EXPERIMENTAL HARDWARE DESIGN FOLLOWED BY EXTENSIVE TESTING IN THIS PHASE WILL PROVIDE THE BASIS FOR THE PHASE II EFFORT.