PRECISION FARMING & GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEMS.   Term Paper ID:22613 Click to get this paper

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Paper Abstract: Use & effectiveness of satellite technology in development of modern agricultural techniques. Paper Introduction: PRECISION FARMING AND GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEMS Introduction This research examines the impact of global positioning systems (GPSs) on precision farming. In the discussions that follow both GPS and precision farming are defined, non-agricultural applications of GPS are reviewed, the development of precision farming is traced, contemporary applications of GPS to precision farming are examined, and the future relationship between GPS and precision farming is considered. Defining GPS and Precision Farming Global positioning systems use satellite technology (Precision farming offers, 1995, p. 15). The primary system now in use is a network of military satellites that is used to determine accurat Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. Precision agriculture--or farming by the foot. Futurist, 27(6), 56. GPS to GIS--practical solutions from ground zero. A plow and a satellite to steer herby. During the spring and summer of 1993, the Midwest was saturated withexcessive rainfall (Pinkston & Graham, 1995, p. GPS technology was developed to higher levels ofprecision in the Former Soviet Union that it was in the West, and theSoviets who were able to control access to technology regardless of whereit was applied, initiated the use of GPS technology in agriculture. Mobile technologies attractive options for cellular customers. test for a precision-farming import:automated soil lab from the former Soviet Union may make precision farmingpay. 8 ). County will use GPS in new integrated transit control system.(1995, 2 March). "Infra-red aerial photographs can provide added detail. Office of Technology Assessment, Congress of the United States. (1995, January). Defining GPS and Precision Farming Global positioning systems use satellite technology (Precision farmingoffers, 1995, p. A widespread adoption of precision farming practices,however, could facilitate the accomplishment of the desired agriculturaland economic goals without the need for heavy governmental subsidies. Rockwell reports that one farmer user of the "Vision system" is savingapproximately $3, per year in anhydrous ammonia costs, and that anotherfarmer user has increased the yield on one hybrid crop by 4 bushels moreper acre (Freiberg, 1995, p. (1995,May). Rockwell launches GPS sales package forimplement dealers. Soils with more organicmatter appear darker. C. 8 ). Montgomery County, Md. (1994, 2December). Precision farming means that, "instead of applying fertilizer orpesticides to an entire field at a single rate of application, farmers testthe soil and crop yields for sections ranging from one to 15 acres andapply just the amount of chemicals that part of the field needs.Agricultural experts expect the size of the areas receiving individualtreatment to drop to as small as a few square feet several years from nowonce the technology embraces computerized field mapping, global positioningsatellite technology, and 'on-the-fly' soil testing (Precision farmingoffers, 1995, p. Yield monitors. "Prescription farming"also is used to describe the process (p. AviationWeek & Space Technology, 142(9), 46-47. In the discussions that follow both GPS andprecision farming are defined, non-agricultural applications of GPS arereviewed, the development of precision farming is traced, contemporaryapplications of GPS to precision farming are examined, and the futurerelationship between GPS and precision farming is considered. Yet another term is "sitespecific farming" (Precision farming offers, 1995, p. The information then will be passed to a local "911" system or toparticipants in Lincoln's roadside assistance program. Agriculture, trade, and environment. GPS technology likely will remain a partof the precision farming process. The levelof this fee depends upon the accuracy each farmer needs. References Donoghue, J. E8). USA TodayMagazine, 123(26 1), 15. The Lincoln unit will be called the remote emergencysatellite cellular unit (RESCU). The application of intensive farming practices to larger plots,however, was somewhat impractical until GPS technology was released to non-military entities. 15). Washington: U.S. 8 ). Ford's Lincoln-Mercury Division said it would beinstalling a Motorola-built GPS-cellular unit as an option in the 1996Lincoln Continental. 8 ). 15). 42). Mobile Phone News, 13(17), 4-5. county, 1995, p. Md. Air TransportWorld, 32(9), 51-53. Pinkston, D. Another termapplied to this practice is "Soilection" (p. The Soviet-developedsystem tests soil automatically, and appears to do so both more accuratelyand at less cost than existing methods in the United States. 15). Conversely, farmers mayattain "substantial savings of up to $1 -15/acre, according if theyfertilize by soil type" (p. If the machine isconnected to a moisture tester, the farmer receives a precise overlay mapof the variable crop moisture content throughout the field. The primary system now in use is a network ofmilitary satellites that is used to determine accurately locations anywhereon earth to within a few feet of their actual positions. (1993, November-December). Walter, J. If the farmerinputs weed, fertilizer, or soil test data, those maps can also be overlaidon top of the satellite map. The use of the Wide AreaAugmentation System will improve the accuracy to seven-meters. The "Vision system" uses military satellites toposition and map farm fields. E., Jr., & Graham, J. 8 ). Fertilizerand chemical applications are more accurate, and the resulting cost savingsare substantial. The new system saves both time and money. E8). Environmental and regulatoryissues related to the application of GPS to precision farming also arediscussed.Applications of GPS to Precision Farming Rockwell International Corp., developer of GPS technology for militaryand space applications, now is marketing the "Vision System" GPS packagethrough farm implement dealers for use in agricultural applications(Freiberg, 1995, p. 46). 1 2-1 4). 1 2). Thirdly, the farmer obtains"soil samples and fertilizer recommendations for the various areasrepresented on the soil management map. Theprevious system required 168 hours of work by five persons. 39). Precision farming relying on GPS technology is capable of yieldingsignificant economic and environment benefits. GPS satellitetechnology has been adapted to become the navigation technology of choicefor the world aviation community (Donoghue, 1995, p. The GPS data were sufficiently accurate forincorporation into the city's existing GIS system. also is partnering with a Canadian firm, Accutrak, todevelop a precision-farming guidance system based on ground beacons ratherthan global positioning satellites (Walter, 1995, p. The key advantages of thisapproach are the quality of the resulting analyses and 9 percent costsavings in the cost of intensive soil sampling. FEDESA forum: 'Green' benefits of intensive farming. 46). 8 ). Contemporary Applications of GPS to Precision Farming Contemporary applications of GPS to precision farming are identified.Agricultural advantages and disadvantages associated with the applicationof GPS to precision farming are examined. 38). The application of "tailor-made ratios of fertilizers, chemicals andmicro-nutrients, according to field conditions," enables farmers to earn"returns of between $2 -3 /acre above and beyond conventional managementmethods (Precision agriculture, 1991, p. 15). Communications Daily, 15(53), 2. An accuracy oflevel of one-meter costs $6 per year, while an accuracy of five-meter ispriced at $25 per year, and an accuracy level greater than five-meters is$16 per year. As a result, thesanitary sewer system serving the city of Wichita, Kansas, was inundatedwith extraneous flow. The company also cites other glowingreports from farmer users of the "Vision system." When using the "Vision System," the mapping begins at the combinestage (Freiberg, 1995, p. The sensor thus judges the richness of the soil byhow dark or light it is" (p. E7). Omni, 17(2), 38. (1994, December).Southern California Business, 4 (12), 16. A prediction has been made "the next GATT round would be a"green GATT round in order to prevent environmental measures becoming a non-tariff barrier to trade and distorting competition. The resulting system bas developed through theapplication of GPS surveys. The Navstar GPSoperated by the United States Airforce was developed during the Cold War(Seabrooke, 1994, p. 51). 8 ). Conclusion: The Future Relationship of GPS and Precision Farming By adopting the techniques of precision farming, farmers can even outhis yields (Precision agriculture, 1991, p. The practice likely willcontinue to increase in popularity with farmers, therefore, because thereis little in the process for public complaint. A. Successful Farming, 93(1), 46-47. is developing a transit and traffic managementsystem based in part on GPS (Md. Precision farming: Soil sensors reduce the use of fertilizer forcrops. 24-25). 15). The Tyler Corp. 2). (1994, November). Thus, "traditionalapproaches to farming, whereby large fields are managed as one unit arebecoming obsolete" (p. (1991, September).Fertilizer International, (3 1), 8 . 4). Agra Europe, (1622), E7-E9. This map can be used to guide thefertilizer applicator on the field" (p. Precision farming offers future savings. Precision farmingmakes such application practices possible and feasible. 38). Advances in technology, however, may beexpected to permit farmers to perform much of their work by the middle ofthe Twenty First Century from consoles that provide directions to fieldequipment by remote control. Precision farming may be expected to increase in applicationthroughout the first-quarter of the coming century (Office of TechnologyAssessment, 1995, pp. (1994, September). (1995, June). Yield monitors used with GPS are valuable tools in theconduct of precision farming. Precision farming evolved from the process of intensive agriculturepracticed for decades in Western Europe (Office of Technology Assessment,1995, pp. The accuracy, reliability and availability of GPSnavigation is the cornerstone upon which the architecture of the Future AirNavigation System (FANS) is to be built, bringing with it the promise ofgreat leaps of flight efficiency, economy, capacity and safety. Sucha development may be expected to "leave farmers with two options: to massproduce for the world market at the lowest possible cost, without incomecompensation; or to produce specific products using 'unconventional andenvironmentally friendly methods' for specific market segments, which inthe absence of an adequate price premium will require subsidies from publicfunds" (p. In this effort, Tyler isworking with technology developed in the former Soviet Union, and isworking with the Russian developers of the quality soil science technology. Precision farming uses advanced satelliteinformation retrieval and information management products to improve farmmanagement (Office of Technology Assessment, 1995, p. Changing economic and environmental imperatives demanded that moreefficient and environmentally responsible approaches to farming bedeveloped. 51). Traffic signals will be adjusted automatically toassist transit vehicles running late, and the system will inform riders ofdelays via kiosks planned for bus stops. Public Works, 126(4), 42-43. Precision farming, thus, is a system "for theprescription blending of fertilizers, chemicals and micro-nutrients on thespot, taking account of the varying soil types and/or fertility levels thatexist in every field" (p. High-yields derived through precision may be considered to be "a greatenvironmental triumph" (FEDESA, 1994, p. Considering their long-term objectives, the city'sWater and Sewer Department staff determined that one of their desired goalswas the development of an Automated Mapping/Facilities Management (AM/FM)computer system. 8 ). Seabrooke, D. Ifthe machine is connected to an on-combine yield monitor, the farmer gets avery precise yield map overlay of the entire field. The basic GPS civil signal provides a 1 -meter accuracy in threedimensions 95 percent of the time, when at least four GPS satellites are inview of the receiver (Donoghue, 1995 p. When the unit's emergency button is pushed in a cellular phone'soperating area, the system will send a data transmission through a cellularcar phone that includes the vehicle location, direction and speed to theWestinghouse Emergency Response Center in Irving, Texas (Mobile, 1995, p.5). (1995, April). One American firm, Tyler, is attempting to build the set of precision-farming technologies that tie together field mapping and prescriptionapplications of inputs (Walter, 1995, p. What WAAS will be. (1995,24 April). 56).Agricultural Advantages and Disadvantages The "Vision System" maps and data are used in planting and applicationequipment the spring following a fall mapping to very accurately adjustrates of fertilizer chemical application according to requirements shown onthe yield map (Freiberg, 1995, p. Future legislation in the UnitedStates, as an example, is expected "to offer financial or regulatoryincentives for farmers to use precision farming because of itsenvironmental benefits" (p. A (1995, 27 February). For this task, a near-infrared reflectance sensor is used to quickly measure the amount oforganic matter and moisture in a sample of soil. The information collected isprocessed statistically, and translated into a program for applyingmaterial with a variable-rate applicator. Implement & Tractor, 11 (3), 38-39. The basic system is priced by Rockwell at$6,495. WORLDPORT LA implements new surveying system. As the crop is harvested, the computerautomatically maps the machine's position as it goes through the field. Use of the satellites is free, but farmers are required to pay anannual fee for precision de-scrambling of the military signals. 47). 8 ). Satellite-basedguidance has limitations (disadvantages) of accuracy and frequency of thesignal. 56). This assessment is based onthe fact that precision farming provides higher yields from less land usingless applied resources. Icons forambulances and two trucks identify the buttons. Whatever theprocess may be called, it is defined as an "environmentally-, agronomically- and economically-responsible method of applying inputs" to the farmingprocess (p. 39). JDAM errors to be slashed. Walter, J. Farming becomes a more environmentally responsible process when theexact balance of plant nutrients and crop protection products required areapplied, as opposed to making haphazard applications. Precision farming makes such outcomesboth possible and feasible.Environmental and Regulatory Issues Affecting the Application of GPS toPrecision Farming Because soils within different fields vary greatly, fertilizer inputsmay not always be used to optimum effect (Precision agriculture, 1991, p.8 ). GovernmentPrinting Office. U.S. Intensive agriculture make more productive use ofavailable land, as well as making farming possible and feasible on smallplots. 39). The general idea is to pick up soil samples on the go, then analyze andmake a prescription for every soil sample. Someremarkable achievements in productivity were attained in specific cases;however, other factors precluded widespread successes in improving theproductivity of Soviet farming. "Precision farming" is one the of buzz-phrases in contemporaryagriculture today (Precision agriculture, 1991, p. Internationalenvironmental standards will be set and developing countries will needtechnical assistance to enable them to comply" (FEDESA, 1994, p. Two GPS-cellular products are being offered as an option in rentalcars and higher-end vehicles in a move that may spur consumer interest insecurity and navigation products tied to a wireless communications link(Mobile, 1995, p. 8 ). The system isactivated by two buttons in Continental's overhead console. The "Vision System" performs thistask automatically as the applicator drives across the field. Non-Agricultural Applications of GPS The primary use of GPS technology--agricultural or non-agricultural--remains in the military arena (Fulghum 1995, p. As anexample, when conducting a recent control survey for Pier 4 , the Port'smajor expansion project, two people completed a task in only 6 hours. "Even in fields wheresoils are similar, there can still be variations. PRECISION FARMING AND GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEMS Introduction This research examines the impact of global positioning systems (GPSs)on precision farming. 8 ). 22). (1995, September). A wide variety ofmilitary applications continue in both use and development. Development of Precision Farming Modern technology now enables a farmer to obtain a soil variabilitymap by using a soil survey (Precision agriculture, 1991, p. Yield monitors in conjunction with GPS measure the force of the grainflow in the clean grain elevator, provide instantaneous readouts of yield,moisture, totals by acre, bushel, speed, and other information (Walter,1994, p. Part of this analysis involves the use of electronic sensors toexamine the soil (Precision farming, 1993, p. The system will usesatellite tracking to monitor movement of buses, relaying status tooperations center. In an effort to increase productivity and reduce costs, the Port ofLos Angeles has implemented a sophisticated surveying system using GPS(WORLDPORT, 1994, p. (1995, May-June). Freiberg, B. 16). Legislative action is expected to promote a shift to precision farming(Precision farming offers, 1995, p. Fulghum, D. The second stage involvespreparing a soil management map, which includes the soil types ascertainedearlier, as well as information on such short-term factors as herbicideresidues and local pest problems" (p. With thecompletion in early-1998 of the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS)contract, GPS will be available to provide all of the en route navigationand Category I precision approach guidance as a primary means source withinNorth America. 8 ). Successful Farming,92(9), 22-23. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.

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