ABSTRACT

This work measures the effectiveness of boundary delivery from a new computer-controlled aircraft bulk solid delivery system (Intellispread⁺). Computer controlled delivery of solid fertilisers by aircraft has been practised commercially in New Zealand since 2014. Aircraft position is determined in relation to a rate change polygon, aircraft ground speed, spread material characteristics, and control system parameters, and the hopper opening is altered to provide the correct rate. All these systems working simultaneously are computationally intense. Effective variable rate application depends on the response to boundary rate changes, aircraft GPS accuracy and update frequency, wind direction and speed, and particle ballistics that determine the deposition of fertiliser. Rapid responses to boundary rate changes improve fertiliser placement accuracy and mitigates off-target application near environmental sensitive areas. The system was tested on a block 200 m long by 18 m wide with 126, 0.5 m² diameter collector cones, spaced 10 m apart longitudinally and 3 m laterally. A PAL Cresco 600 was flown at 64 ms⁻¹ (130 knots) on three tests to measure performance, shutting off and opening at a boundary and changing rate halfway along the block. For all tests initiation of rate change and completion was achieved within 30 m.

摘要

这项工作测量了一种新的计算机控制的飞机散装固体输送系统（Intellispread ⁺). 自 2014 年以来，计算机控制的飞机固体肥料输送已在新西兰进行商业实践。飞机位置根据速率变化多边形、飞机地面速度、撒播材料特性和控制系统参数确定，料斗开口改变为提供正确的利率。所有这些同时工作的系统都是计算密集型的。有效的可变速率应用取决于对边界速率变化的响应、飞机 GPS 精度和更新频率、风向和风速，以及决定肥料沉积的粒子弹道学。对边界速率变化的快速响应提高了肥料投放的准确性，并减少了环境敏感区域附近的脱靶施用。该系统在一个长 200 米、宽 18 米、126、0.^{2 个}直径收集锥，纵向间隔 10 m，横向间隔 3 m。PAL Cresco 600 在三个测试中以 64 ms ⁻¹（130 节）的速度飞行，以测量性能，在边界处关闭和打开以及沿块的中途改变速率。对于所有测试，速率变化的开始和完成都在 30 m 内实现。