title: Eye-safe lidar system for pesticide spray drift measurement.
abstract: Spray drift is one of the main sources of pesticide contamination. For this reason, an accurate understanding of this phenomenon is necessary in order to limit its effects. Nowadays, spray drift is usually studied by using in situ collectors which only allow time-integrated sampling of specific points of the pesticide clouds. Previous research has demonstrated that the light detection and ranging (lidar) technique can be an alternative for spray drift monitoring. This technique enables remote measurement of pesticide clouds with high temporal and distance resolution. Despite these advantages, the fact that no lidar instrument suitable for such an application is presently available has appreciably limited its practical use. This work presents the first eye-safe lidar system specifically designed for the monitoring of pesticide clouds. Parameter design of this system is carried out via signal-to-noise ratio simulations. The instrument is based on a 3-mJ pulse-energy erbium-doped glass laser, an 80-mm diameter telescope, an APD optoelectronic receiver and optomechanically adjustable components. In first test measurements, the lidar system has been able to measure a topographic target located over 2 km away. The instrument has also been used in spray drift studies, demonstrating its capability to monitor the temporal and distance evolution of several pesticide clouds emitted by air-assisted sprayers at distances between 50 and 100 m.
authors: Department of Agricultural and Forest Engineering, Research Group on AgroICT & Precision Agriculture, Universitat de Lleida (UdL), Campus Cappont, Bldg CREA, Pere de Cabrera s/n, 25001 Lleida, Spain. egregorio@eagrof.udl.cat.
authors: Eduard
authors: E
authors: Gregorio
authors: Department of Signal Theory and Communications, Remote Sensing Laboratory, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), Campus Nord, Bldg D4, Jordi Girona 1-3, 08034 Barcelona, Spain. roca@tsc.upc.edu.
authors: Francesc
authors: F
authors: Rocadenbosch
authors: Department of Agricultural and Forest Engineering, Research Group on AgroICT & Precision Agriculture, Universitat de Lleida (UdL), Campus ETSEA, Av/ Rovira Roure 191, 25198 Lleida, Spain. rsanz@eagrof.udl.cat.
authors: Ricardo
authors: R
authors: Sanz
authors: Department of Agricultural and Forest Engineering, Research Group on AgroICT & Precision Agriculture, Universitat de Lleida (UdL), Campus ETSEA, Av/ Rovira Roure 191, 25198 Lleida, Spain. jr.rosell@eagrof.udl.cat.
authors: Joan R
authors: JR
authors: Rosell-Polo
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D008027:Light; D010575:Pesticides / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D058998:Remote Sensing Technology
chemical_list: D010575:Pesticides