Apparatus for determining agricultural relevant information
The present invention relates to an apparatus for determining agricultural relevant information in an agricultural environment. It is described to provide a processing unit with at least one image of an agricultural area. The at least one image corresponds with at least one area of the agricultural area. The at least one image comprises remotely acquired reflectance intensity data relating to a plurality of features on the ground. An image of the at least one image is of a first area of the agricultural environment. The processing unit is provided with at least one sensor data relating to the first area of the agricultural environment. The processing unit implements a radiation propagation model of the atmosphere that utilizes at least one model parameter. The processing unit determines modified at least one model parameter. The processing unit determines at least one agricultural relevant information for an examination area of the at least one area.
1. An apparatus for determining agricultural relevant information in an agricultural environment, comprising: an input unit; and a processing unit; wherein, the input unit is configured to provide the processing unit with at least one image of an agricultural area, wherein the at least one image was acquired by at least one satellite and/or at least one aerial vehicle such that the at least one image was acquired through a substantial depth of the Earth's atmosphere, wherein the at least one image corresponds with at least one area of the agricultural area such that each image of the at least one image corresponds to a different area of the agricultural area; and wherein the at least one image comprises remotely acquired reflectance intensity data relating to a plurality of features on the ground; wherein, an image of the at least one image is of a first area of the agricultural environment; wherein, the input unit is configured to provide the processing unit with at least one sensor data relating to the first area of the agricultural environment, wherein the at least one sensor data was acquired by at least one ground based and/or at least one near ground based sensor, and wherein the at least one sensor data comprises data acquired at a plurality of heights above the ground; wherein, the processing unit is configured to implement a radiation propagation model of the atmosphere that utilizes at least one model parameter, wherein the at least one model parameter comprises at least one or more of temperature data or air pressure data, wherein the at least one or more of the temperature data or air pressure data was acquired by a ground based sensor and/or a near ground based sensor; wherein, the processing unit is configured to determine a modified at least one model parameter, wherein the determination comprises utilisation of the radiation propagation model, the re-motely acquired reflectance intensity data of the image of the first area and the at least one sensor data relating to the first area; and wherein, the processing unit is configured to determine at least one agricultural relevant information for an examination area, wherein the determination comprises utilization of the radiation propagation model, the modified at least one model parameter and an image of the at least one image that is of the examination area, wherein the examination area is a second area of the agricultural environment that is different to the first area and where the at least one sensor data is acquired, wherein the image of the at least one image that is of the examination area was acquired at substantially the same time as the at least one sensor data to provide a match between the image of the at least one image and the at least one sensor data, and wherein the at least one agricultural relevant information for the examination area comprises a biomass index.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one model parameter comprises at least one atmospheric absorption coefficient.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one model parameter comprises at least one polarization state of radiation propagating through the atmosphere.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the examination area is the first area and the processing unit is configured to determine a modified image of the first area, wherein the determination comprises utilization of the radiation propagation model and the modified at least one model parameter and the acquired image of the first area.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an image of the at least one image is of the second area, and wherein the processing unit is configured to determine a modified image of the second area, wherein the determination comprises utilization of the radiation propagation model and the modified at least one model parameter and the acquired image of the second area.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor data comprises sensor reflectance intensity data relating to at least one of the plurality of features on the ground.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the remotely acquired reflectance intensity data comprises spectral data and the sensor reflectance intensity data comprises spectral data.
8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein at least one sensor image comprises the sensor reflectance intensity data.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor data comprises one or more of: temperature data; air pressure data; humidity data; air composition; aerosol density data; aerosol composition; particle composition; spectral data relating to sunlight incident at the first area.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one model parameter further comprises one or more of: humidity data; air composition data; aerosol density data; aerosol composition; particle composition.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein determination of the at least one agricultural relevant information for the examination area comprises determination of at least one biomass indication.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first image was acquired at substantially the same time as the at least one sensor data.
13. A system for determining agricultural relevant information in an agricultural environment, comprising: at least one ground based and/or at least one near ground based sensor; an apparatus for determining agricultural relevant information in an agricultural environment according to claim 1 ; and an output unit; wherein, the at least one ground based and/or at least one near ground based sensor is configured to acquire the at least one sensor data; and wherein, the output unit is configured to output the at least one agricultural relevant information.
14. A method for determining agricultural relevant information in an agricultural environment, comprising: a) providing a processing unit with at least one image of an agricultural area, wherein the at least one image was acquired by at least one satellite and/or at least one aerial vehicle such that the at least one image was acquired through a substantial depth of the Earth's atmosphere, wherein the at least one image corresponds with at least one area of the agricultural area such that each image of the at least one image corresponds to a different area of the agricultural area; and wherein the at least one image comprises remotely acquired reflectance intensity data relating to a plurality of features on the ground; and wherein, an image of the at least one image is of a first area of the agricultural environment; b) providing the processing unit with at least one sensor data relating to the first area of the agricultural environment, wherein the at least one sensor data was acquired by at least one ground based and/or at least one near ground based sensor, and wherein the at least one sensor data comprises data acquired at a plurality of heights above the ground; c) implementing by the processing unit a radiation propagation model of the atmosphere that utilizes at least one model parameter, wherein the at least one model parameter comprises at least one or more of temperature data or air pressure data, wherein the at least one or more of the temperature data or air pressure data was acquired by a ground based sensor and/or a near ground based sensor; d) determining by the processing unit modified at least one model parameter, the determination comprising utilising the radiation propagation model, the remotely acquired reflectance intensity data of the image of the first area and the at least one sensor data relating to the first area; and e) determining by the processing unit at least one agricultural relevant information for an examination area, the determination comprising utilizing the radiation propagation model, the modified at least one model parameter and an image of the at least one image that is of the examination area, wherein the examination area is a second area of the agricultural environment that is different to the first area and where the at least one sensor data is acquired, wherein the image of the at least one image that is of the examination area was acquired at substantially the same time as the at least one sensor data to provide a match between the at least one image and the at least one sensor data, and wherein the at least one agricultural relevant information for the examination area comprises a biomass index.