The AeroVirnment company has developed the Quantix drone for automatic vegetation monitoring on the field. Interesting features of this solution are the almost complete work automation and hybrid type of flight.
Before launching, the Quantix UAV is placed vertically and takes off without a takeoff run, like a helicopter. After climbing, he bends down and continues to move forward according to the principle of an airplane, which means a high rate of territory processing. Plus, such type of take off additionally protects the onboard cameras and eliminates the need to take piloting UAV courses. Landing again, occurs vertically on a small plot of land. These steps are not controlled by humans and are performed automatically, thereby minimizing the risk of damage to the UAV.
The field condition is monitored by two cameras of 18 MP each. No need to change them or customize - automatic output of the RGB and NDVI index. Before starting, you need to indicate on the control panel the outlines of the field and launch the drone, after which the device independently performs take-off, scanning and landing.
Approximate processing time of a 400 acre (160 ha) field in 45 minutes. From a height of 90 meters, Quantix allows you to make colored terrain maps with a resolution of 1 inch (2.54 cm) per pixel or multispectral - 2 inches per pixel.
The wing span of the Quantix UAV is 1 meter, the material is carbon fiber reinforced spar.
The obtained data is not only saved, but also analyzed for changes in the state of vegetation in time. Areas requiring control are additionally highlighted. Thus, Quantix is an example of an all-inclusive solution. Anyone can purchase it and start using it without additional training courses - the main thing is to specify the field for research and deliver the device to it.
