MUMBAI, India, Feb. 13 -- Intellectual Property India has published a patent application (202641008593 A) filed by S Banu, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, on Jan. 28, for 'drone-mounted lidar agro-topographic mapping system.'
Inventor(s) include S Banu; Dr. R. Sathishbabu; Bharath J; Gokul. S; Prathish. S; and Samuvel. J.
The application for the patent was published on Feb. 13, under issue no. 07/2026.
According to the abstract released by the Intellectual Property India: "The Drone-Mounted UAV LiDAR Agro-Topographic Mapping System offers a portable solution for precision agriculture. It uses unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) fitted with lightweight LiDAR sensors to carry out non-invasive, high-resolution mapping of crop fields. This system tackles important problems in traditional field scouting, including labour -intensive manual measurements and limited coverage. It allows for quick aerial collection of 3D topographic data and plant structural information. It is an innovative platform that aims to transform precision agriculture through aerial, non-destructive sensing. By attaching lightweight LiDAR sensors to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), this system allows for detailed 3D mapping of agricultural fields. It captures complex details of plant structures and terrain. This approach addresses the limitations of traditional ground-based surveying, which often suffers from time inefficiency, human mistakes, and incomplete coverage. The system provides scalable, high-quality data to support informed farming decisions. The system includes a commercial or custom UAV, such as the DJI Phantom 4 RTK or a hexacopter. These have a flight time of 20 to 30 minutes and can carry 2 to 5 kg. It integrates a pulsed LiDAR sensor, like the Hesai Pandar or Teledyne Optech, which produces 300,000 pulses per second and operates at wavelengths between 905 and 1550 nm for safety. Additional parts include IMU/GNSS modules for precise georeferencing, onboard computers like the Raspberry Pi 5 or Intel NUC for processing data at the location, and optional hybrid sensors such as ultrasonic rangefinders or hyperspectral cameras for various types of analysis. The system runs on batteries for field use. It features modular enclosures that provide IP65 weather resistance. The total weight is kept under 3 kg for convenient transport and compliance with FAA regulations. The LiDAR can create point clouds with densities reaching 500 points per square meter from a height of 30 meters. These point clouds are processed using Kalman or particle filters to produce georeferenced models in formats like LAS or OBJ."
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
