Vegetation detection in agricultural applications with a single-chip camera

Abstract

The application of (smart) cameras for process control as an element of precision farming saves fertilizer, pesticides, machine time, and fuel. Although research activities have increased in this topic, high camera prices reflect low adaptation to applications in all fields of agriculture. Smart and low-cost cameras adapted to agricultural applications can overcome this drawback. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) is an applicable algorithm to discriminate between plant and soil information (background). In this study, the advantage of a smart one-chip camera design with an adapted algorithm for NDVI image performance is demonstrated in terms of low cost and simplified design.