OPPORTUNITÀ e NUOVE

TECNOLOGIE per
l’AGRICOLTURA MODERNA
Matteo Zucchelli
 Agricoltura di precisione
 L'agricoltura di precisione è una strategia
gestionale dell'agricoltura che si avvale di
moderne strumentazioni ed è mirata
all'esecuzione di interventi agronomici tenendo
conto delle effettive esigenze colturali e delle
caratteristiche biochimiche e fisiche del suolo.
(Wikipedia)
 Agricoltura di precisione
 Da un punto di vista agronomico si può definire
come l'applicazione di principi e tecnologie atte
alla gestione del tempo e della variabilità del
luogo associata a tutti gli aspetti della produzione
agricola, finalizzata al miglioramento delle
prestazioni del raccolto, della redditività e della
qualità ambientale.

Il procedimento di distribuzione del giusto

prodotto, nell'esatta quantità, nel punto
preciso, al momento opportuno.
 Perché adottarla?
 Aumento dell’efficienza dei mezzi meccanici
 Diminuzione dell’affaticamento dell’operatore
 Miglioramento delle pratiche agricole
 Riduzione dell’uso di mezzi tecnici (fertilizzanti e
fitofarmaci)
 Diminuzione dell’impatto ambientale
 Aumento delle rese
Componenti fondamentali
GNSS Basics
 Global Navigation Satellite System
(GNSS)

 Encompasses all satellite

navigation sources
– GPS (USA) – 32 current
– GLONASS (Russian
Federation) – 27 current
– Galileo/EGNOS (European
Union) – 2 current
– COMPASS/BeiDou-2
 What is GPS?
 GPS = The Global Positioning System
 A collection of a satellites
 Minimum of 24 satellites, 32 in orbit
 Provide accurate position worldwide
 Orbit at 20,200km

Copied from “GPS Navstar User’s Overview”

prepared by GPS Joint Program Office, 1984
 Why GPS
 Effective tool
 Provides accurate positioning
 Free
 Available 24/7/365
 How Does GPS Work
 Satellites used as reference to calculate position
 GPS receiver times radio signal from satellites
 Uses time delay to measure distance to satellite
 Requires 4 satellites for 3 dimensional position
– Latitude, Longitude, and Altitude
How Does GPS Work
 GPS Signals
L1 L2
Wavelength 19 cm 24 cm
Code C/A P(y) P (y)
Message Navigation Navigation

1575.42 MHz

1227.6 MHz
 GNSS Error Sources

Orbit Error Satellite Clock Error

Îonosphere

Troposphere

Receiver Clock Error Multipath

GNSS Positioning
 Satellite Position Matters
 DOP – Dilution of Precision

 Spread out = low DOP (good)

 Satellite Position Matters

 Poor VDOP

 Bunched up = High DOP (bad)

 Satellite Position Matters

 Bad HDOP – poor horizontal position

 Low horizon = High DOP (bad)

 Why use GPS mainly?

 Availability of the signal 24 / 7, 365

days/year

Currently 30 healthy GPS SVs available

 6 to 8 SVs in view
most of the time

 Good HDOP
most of the time
 Good Constellation
 Why Using GLONASS in addition?

 Extra Satellites to improve both HDOP and

VDOP
Currently 21 of 23 SVs are healthy
Generally 3-5 Extra SV’s
 Improves Horizontal performances in times of
Low GPS Availability
 Improves Vertical
Performance
 Reduces VDOP
 Increases
Operational Time
GPS Satellite Visibility
GPS + GLONASS Satellite Visibility
 GPS Accuracy
 Autonomous GPS accurate to 10m
 Increase accuracy with Differential GPS (DGPS)
 Types of DGPS
– Space Based Augmentation System (SBAS)
 WAAS, EGNOS, OmniSTAR, Deere Starfire
– Ground Based Augmentation System (GBAS)
 RTK, CORS, NTRIP, Trimble VRS, TopCon TopNet, Leica
 DGPS Measuring Accuracy

 Dynamic (pass to pass) – 15 minutes

 Static, Absolute (repeatable) – 24 hours
 Repeatable performance, playing with statistics
– 1 Sigma – 66%
– 2 Sigma – 95%
 Trimble quotes at 2 Sigma
 Trimble OnPath Filter

OnPath Filter
Enabled

GPS Autonomous
Positions
 DGPS
 DGPS reference station measures GPS signal error
 Compiles correction message
 Broadcasts correction from ground station or satellite
 Mobile receiver uses correction to compute position

< 5-20cm
EGNOS/Galileo EGNOS
15-20 cm accuracy
 OmniSTAR XP (HP)
 Satellite based corrections
Signal
 Omnistar
Correction Service available
worldwide
 Convergence within 2 minutes
 Maximum accuracy reached after typically
30 minutes in an open sky
Possible Problems using Satellite based corrections

 Shadow effect from South facing

obstructions
L-Band Shadow effect form south facing obstructions

- Shadow area No Signal

Coverage Map for RTX by satellite
 RTK

 RTK – Real Time Kinematic

 Enables 2,5 cm Position Accuracy

RTK
2.5 cm accuracy
 GPS Signal
RTK Correction via Radio

Correction Signal
over radio Rover
Base Station
RTK Solutions
Mobile RTK Stationen
 RTK Fixed Installation
One fixed base station installation to cover most of the fields

One repeater to cover white spots in the base station coverage

Fix Base Station

Review – horizontal accuracy
 Select your solution

Planting
Implement Spraying
Seeding
Guidance
Trimble Agriculture develops
Guidance innovative technology that transforms
the crop production cycle, driving Spreading
efficiency, sustainability and
profitability while protecting the
environment

Information
Management Vigor Mapping
& VRA
Livestock
Harvesting
Water
Management