Design and Research Sowing Devices for Aerial Sowing of Forest Seeds with UAVs

Mikhail Lysych,Denis Druchinin,Leonid Bukhtoyarov

doi:10.3390/inventions6040083

Mikhail Lysych, Denis Druchinin + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/inventions6040083

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Abstract

Modern unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) can be effectively used for aerial sowing of forests. A feature of aerial sowing is the possibility of rapid reforestation at low costs, which is extremely important in the current environmental situation. The purpose of this study is to develop a set of sowing devices intended for use with UAVs. For this, the metering devices and seed distribution devices were analyzed, used on the UAV or having prospects for such use. The existing studies of metering devices, implemented by numerical methods, are analyzed. Further, the synthesis of eight different designs of sowing devices in the 3D CAD was carried out and their comparative assessment was completed in terms of mass and a set of technological parameters. Based on its results, a sowing device was selected that is most suitable for a specific given technology. Discrete Element Method (DEM) was used to simulate the workflow: imitation of loading of the sowing device, study of work in various modes, study of the process of impact interaction of seeds with the soil environment. The complex of developed sowing devices can provide sowing of almost any type of forest seeds within the framework of various technologies and soil climatic conditions.

Highlights

An increasing number of researchers are turning to the topic of reforestation using aerial sowing
The revival of interest in this topic is associated with an increase in the rate of deforestation and serious climatic changes, as well as the intensive development of unmanned aerial vehicles
The data obtained as a result of modeling were slightly less than the preliminary estimate data, according to which the hopper capacity was 1008 g

Summary

Introduction

An increasing number of researchers are turning to the topic of reforestation using aerial sowing. The revival of interest in this topic is associated with an increase in the rate of deforestation and serious climatic changes, as well as the intensive development of unmanned aerial vehicles. Climate change on Earth has led to the emergence of a whole range of new threats and problems for various regions and countries. It is expressed in an increase in the average annual temperature, an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, a change in the precipitation regime and an increase in the frequency of extreme weather events such as floods, droughts and hurricanes. Trees are the ones that can most effectively store carbon by neutralizing the “carbon footprint” of modern society

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