3D path planning of plant protection UAVs in hilly mountainous orchards

doi:10.3785/j.issn.1008-973X.2025.03.021

Journal of ZheJiang University (Engineering Science)

2025, Vol. 59

Issue (3): 635-642 DOI: 10.3785/j.issn.1008-973X.2025.03.021

3D path planning of plant protection UAVs in hilly mountainous orchards

Shaomeng YU1,2(

),Ming YAN1,Pengfei WANG1,2,*(

),Jianxi ZHU3,Xin YANG1

1. College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding 071001, China
2. Technology Innovation Center of Intelligent Agricultural Equipment, Baoding 071001, China
3. Zhejiang Agricultural Machinery Research Institute, Jinhua 321000, China

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Abstract

A full-coverage 3D path planning method for mountainous orchard plant protection UAVs was proposed to address the challenges of manual control and the lack of 3D path planning for plant protection drones operating in hilly orchards. 3D coordinates of the operation area obtained from a real scene 3D model of the area were utilized. Comprehensive 3D path planning for plant protection UAVs was carried out based on the reciprocating cattle farming method and the real scene 3D model of the hilly orchard. An energy consumption model for the UAV was constructed, considering its movement status and load changes. The operating heading angle (ranging from 1° to 180°) was optimized to determine the path with minimal energy consumption. Results of field experiments showed that the path with the minimal energy consumption (heading angle of 91°) reduced the total energy consumption by 20.88% and the time required to complete the plant protection operation by 16.31%, compared to the path with the maximum energy consumption (heading angle of 147°). The fluctuation in canopy droplet deposition at each sampling point within the operation area was minimal. This method not only optimizes the energy consumption and improves the operational efficiency, but also ensures full coverage of plant protection within the working area.

Key words： plant protection unmanned aerial vehicle path planning mountainous orchard operational heading angle energy consumption

Received: 01 January 2024 Published: 10 March 2025

CLC:

S 225.3

Fund: 国家现代农业产业技术体系资助项目（CARS-27）；金华市科技计划资助项目(2021-2-016).

Corresponding Authors: Pengfei WANG E-mail: ysmaabb@163.com;wpf5769@126.com

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Cite this article:

Shaomeng YU,Ming YAN,Pengfei WANG,Jianxi ZHU,Xin YANG. 3D path planning of plant protection UAVs in hilly mountainous orchards. Journal of ZheJiang University (Engineering Science), 2025, 59(3): 635-642.

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https://www.zjujournals.com/eng/10.3785/j.issn.1008-973X.2025.03.021 OR https://www.zjujournals.com/eng/Y2025/V59/I3/635

丘陵山地果园植保无人机三维路径规划

丘陵地区果园植保无人机作业时人工操控难度大，自动作业缺少三维路径规划，为此提出山地果园植保无人机全覆盖三维作业路径规划方法. 利用实景三维模型获取作业区域三维坐标，基于往复牛耕法和丘陵果园实景三维模型，进行植保无人机全覆盖三维路径规划. 考虑植保无人机运动状况及自身载重变化，构建植保无人机能量消耗模型，进而对作业航向角（1°~180°）进行寻优，获得最小能耗的作业路径. 田间试验表明，最小能耗的作业路径（航向角为91°）相比于最大能耗的作业路径（航向角为147°）降低了完成植保作业所需总能耗（能耗降低率为20.88%），缩短了完成植保作业所需时间（时间降低率为16.31%），且作业区域内各采样点的冠层雾滴沉积量波动较小，在优化能耗、提高作业效率的同时实现了对作业区域的全覆盖植保作业.

关键词： 植保无人机, 路径规划, 山地果园, 作业航向角, 能耗

Fig.1 Actual photos of test area

Fig.2 Test area coordinate system construction diagram

Fig.3 Coordinate system rotation diagram

Fig.4 Two-dimensional work path diagram

Fig.5 Flowchart of path planning algorithm

Fig.6 Schematic of 3D operational path with heading angle of 60°

Tab.1 Related parameters for energy consumption calculation of DJI T30

Tab.2 Path planning results for crop protection drones.

Fig.7 Consumption paths of drones with minimum and maximum energy

Fig.8 Distribution diagram of sampled fruit trees

Tab.3 Energy consumption test results of T30 plant protection drone

Fig.9 Deposition distribution of droplets on water-sensitive paper at sampling sites

Fig.10 Droplets deposition quantity of sampling trees


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