Multi-depth Capacitive Soil Sensor Node Testing and Deployment

Abstract

With the advent of Agriculture 4.0 which encompasses cutting-edge technologies such as smart sensors, robots, wireless networks, big data analytics, machine learning, and much more. These advanced technologies allow agronomists and meteorologists to make profitable and environmentally friendly decisions. In recent times, several sensing methods have been developed to acquire soil moisture data. However, the studies exhibited severe limitations in terms of effectiveness and reliability. The current work presents the development and real field testing of a low-cost multi-depth capacitive soil sensor node that is capable of communicating real-time field data with high spatial resolution and scalability. The sensors are tested and calibrated in the lab before being trialed at a real pilot farm. The proposed sensor node also employed a tipping rain sensor and an environmental sensor to enhance the overall understanding of land and climatic conditions. The preliminary findings from the field sensors showed promising results that can be effectively utilized for long-term applications such as irrigation scheduling and weather forecasting. Such a system with industry collaboration can be considered a cost-effective solution for expensive commercial tools.