Author:
Mahachi Alphanos,Aloni Trymore,Mashevedze Lucious
Abstract
The design of a fixed-wing Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for agriculture pest monitoring is the subject of this thesis. It is primarily concerned with the sugarcane pest problem in the KZN region. After seeing the impact of sugarcane on this region and South Africa as a whole, this design was created. The wing, fuselage, empennage, and tilt-rotor mechanism of the UAV are all designed to meet the mission requirements. The aerodynamics, performance, and stability of the UAV are next examined. The highest sustained turning performance was determined using the SEP chart. The UAV has a cargo capacity of 2 kg, a range of 96.7 m, a stall speed of 13.7 m/s, and a flight time of 1.48 hours. Because the UAV is a fixed-wing VTOL system, it can reach more geographically demanding regions and maneuver in windy conditions. The design was followed by the development of an IR thermography camera with 12 Megapixels and a 45 HFOV for the detection of pests. Following that, the tilt rotor mechanism was meticulously designed.
Reference16 articles.
1. SASA. Where we are Located? Technical Report. Pretoria, South Africa; 2019
2. Statistics South Africa. Stats SA Releases Census of Commercial Agriculture 2017 Report | Statistics South Africa [Online]. Statssa.gov.za; 2020. Available from: https://www.statssa.gov.za/?p=13144 [Accessed: 1 May 2022]
3. Nicol RM, Ortmann GF, Ferrer SR. Management decisions on commercial sugarcane farms in KwaZulu-Natal: A focus on choice bracketing behaviour for risk management. Agrekon. 2008;47:116-139. DOI: 10.1080/03031853.2008.9523793
4. Potgieter J, Vuuren V, Conlong D. Modelling the effects of the sterile insect technique applied to Eldana saccharina Walker in sugarcane. ORiON. 2012;28(2):59. DOI: 10.5784/28-2-112
5. Azfar S, Nadeem A, Basit A. Pest detection and control techniques using wireless sensor network: A review. Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies. 2015;3:2