UAS and sensor-integrated irrigation scheduling system for improved water use efficiency

Overview

This solution is an integrated irrigation scheduling system designed to improve water use efficiency (WUE) and crop production for sustainable agriculture. It combines remote sensing data from unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and satellites with proximal in-situ IoT sensors, along with weather, soil, and crop management information, to deliver site-specific irrigation recommendations. The approach is especially relevant for water-limited regions such as the Southern High Plains of Texas, where efficient irrigation is critical to agricultural productivity and conservation.

The system addresses a key challenge in modern agriculture: growers and water managers often lack timely, field-scale information on crop water status and soil moisture conditions. By fusing multiple data streams into a unified decision support framework, the tool enables more precise irrigation timing and application rates, helping reduce water waste, lower energy costs, and sustain yields under variable climate conditions.

Technical specifications

Core capabilities:

• Estimation of crop coefficients and crop water stress using UAS-based multispectral and thermal imagery
• Surface soil moisture estimation from UAS remote sensing platforms
• Integration of satellite imagery for monitoring plant growth and development at field and regional scales
• Use of in-situ IoT sensors for real-time soil moisture and temperature monitoring
• Incorporation of weather data, soil databases, and cropping system information into crop modeling frameworks
• Decision support algorithms that translate sensor and model outputs into actionable irrigation scheduling recommendations
• Compatibility with advanced irrigation infrastructure such as sub-surface drip and variable rate irrigation systems

Validation work completed:

• Three master's theses have been developed applying UAS technologies to estimate surface soil moisture, assess cotton water stress, and quantify crop coefficients for irrigation scheduling

Technology readiness level

The technology is at an early-to-mid stage of development. Initial algorithms have been validated through graduate-level research demonstrating feasibility of UAS-based soil moisture estimation, crop water stress assessment, and crop coefficient quantification. Ongoing and future work includes field experiments in the Southern High Plains of Texas using sub-surface drip and variable rate irrigation systems, integration of UAS and satellite imagery into unified monitoring algorithms, and development of a full decision support tool for commercial irrigation management. The system is not yet commercially deployed but is advancing toward field-validated, scalable tools suitable for partnership, co-development, and pilot deployment with industry collaborators.