Santana et al. (2025) Analysis of Sprinkler Irrigation Uniformity via Multispectral Data from RPAs

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Identification

• Journal: Eng—Advances in Engineering
• Year: 2025
• Date: 2025-10-06
• Authors: Lucas Santos Santana, Lubiane Guimarães dos Santos, Josiane Maria da Silva, Luiz Alves Caldeira, Mário G. Lopes, Hermes Soares da Rocha, Paulo Sérgio Batista, Gabriel Araújo e Silva Ferraz
• DOI: 10.3390/eng6100268

Research Groups

Information not provided in the text.

Short Summary

This study assessed the spatial variability of water distribution and soil dynamics under conventional sprinkler irrigation using Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA)-mounted multispectral sensors and in-situ measurements, demonstrating the approach's effectiveness for irrigation system characterization and precision water management.

Objective

• To assess the spatial variability of water distribution, soil moisture, and infiltration dynamics under conventional sprinkler irrigation using multispectral sensors on Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPAs) and in-situ measurements.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: An experimental area of 466.2 square meters, equipped with 65 georeferenced collectors spaced at 3 meter intervals.
• Temporal Scale: Four RPA flights performed at 20 minute intervals post-irrigation, capturing short-term dynamics of surface moisture and infiltration.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Inverse Distance Weighting and Ordinary Kriging (geostatistical methods).
• Data sources:
  • Multispectral sensors onboard Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPAs) for Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI).
  • 65 georeferenced collectors for water distribution assessment.
  • Volumetric rings (0–5 cm depth) for soil bulk density and gravimetric moisture.
  • Auger sampling (30–40 cm depth) for gravimetric moisture.
  • 65 measurements of penetration resistance down to 60 cm depth.

Main Results

• NDWI values decreased from 0.03 to −0.02, indicating a reduction in surface moisture due to infiltration and evaporation.
• Gravimetric moisture content declined from 0.194 g/g to 0.191 g/g post-irrigation.
• Penetration resistance exceeded 2400 kilopascals at 30 cm depth, indicating subsurface compaction.
• Soil bulk density ranged from 1300 to 1500 kilograms per cubic meter.
• Geostatistical analyses revealed non-uniform water distribution patterns and identified zones of subsurface compaction.
• The integration of spectral indices with in-situ measurements proved effective in characterizing irrigation system performance.

Contributions

• Developed and validated an integrated approach combining RPA-mounted multispectral sensors with in-situ measurements for comprehensive characterization of sprinkler irrigation system performance.
• Demonstrated the effectiveness of this integrated methodology in identifying spatial variability in water distribution and subsurface soil compaction zones.
• Provided a robust framework for the calibration of irrigation systems and the implementation of precision water management strategies.

Funding

Information not provided in the text.

Citation

@article{Santana2025Analysis,
  author = {Santana, Lucas Santos and Santos, Lubiane Guimarães dos and Silva, Josiane Maria da and Caldeira, Luiz Alves and Lopes, Mário G. and Rocha, Hermes Soares da and Batista, Paulo Sérgio and Ferraz, Gabriel Araújo e Silva},
  title = {Analysis of Sprinkler Irrigation Uniformity via Multispectral Data from RPAs},
  journal = {Eng—Advances in Engineering},
  year = {2025},
  doi = {10.3390/eng6100268},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.3390/eng6100268}
}