NASA and University researchers recently used an uninhabited aerialvehicle (UAV) to monitor a coffee plantation from the air—even thoughthe sky was 80% covered by clouds. The Pathfinder Plus UAV cruisedover the Hawaiian plantation for four hours, collecting over 300 images.Controllers directed the UAV to areas with breaks in the clouds, whichallowed the researchers to create a nearly cloud-free composite image (shownabove).
“The mission demonstrated the capability of this type ofaircraft, with downsized digital imaging systems, to collectand quickly deliver high-resolution imagery over localizedregions, overcoming the challenging conditions of tropicalcloud dynamics.” said Dr. Stan Herwitz, professor of EarthSciences at Clark University, Worcester, Mass. Herwitz is theprincipal investigator for the UAV Coffee Project.
Differences in the color of coffee beans observed by the UAV’sinstruments indicate ripeness. Using this data, the harvest managerdirected machines to harvest only those fields with the highest percentageof ripe coffee cherries.
For more information and images, visit:
NASA Mission Demonstrates Practical Use of UAV Technology
Clark scientist guides landmark test of solar-powered UAV
UAV Coffee Project images
References & Resources
Image courtesy professor Stanley Herwitz, Clark University, Worcester, Mass.
