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Mistrale, a project to develop a soil moisture monitoring drone  funded by the GSA under the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, is changing the way European farmers decide on where, when and how much to irrigate. The UAV-mounted sensor produces a detailed map showing the soil moisture differences in an area.

“The population of the world is growing by two billion people,” says Jeroen Verschoore, one of the project managers. “To feed this increasing population requires higher yields. One way is to increase production is to improve the water supply since irrigated crops have a two times higher yield than non-irrigated crops. Adequate soil moisture mapping is a relevant tool to understand the different water needs in different corners of the field.”

Mistrale uses GNSS Reflectometry to create soil moisture maps for farmers and decision makers on water boards and in nature management. The project started in March 2015, and the first test flight was completed in early August. For this test flight a manned aircraft was filled with extensive equipment. Verschoore says this will be downsized and in the future Mistrale will be able to conduct surveys using UAVs.

Also Read: Precision Agriculture Helps Feed Earth’s Growing Population

Currently, an antenna on top of the plane registers the signals of Galileo satellites (on top of GPS and GLONASS ones), measuring their signal’s strength and position. Another antenna located on the bottom of the plane measures the reflected signal, with the characteristics of the reflections revealing the amount of moisture in the soil. “We use GNSS for multiple purposes,” explains Verschoore. “For example, we use EGNOS and, in the future the Galileo signal, both to navigate and for the remote sensing of soil moisture.” 

The second part of the project involves computing a detailed map of the field depicting the areas of different moisture levels via a user-friendly interface. The objective is to extract soil-moisture data and quickly deliver the corresponding map to a farmer or reservoir manager within an hour. Verschoore stresses the importance of this time element: “When you are talking about irrigation you have to be quick,” he says. “When a farmer thinks the soil is dry, he wants to be able to easily measure and find an immediate solution.”

The European GNSS Advantage

MISTRALE uses European GNSS data for both navigating the UAV and for measuring the soil moisture underneath the area it is flying.

The use of Galileo signals, with the larger bandwidth and different carrier frequencies, will significantly improve the precision of mapping. EGNOS will help in improving the vertical accuracy of the positioning solution of the UAV.

Using Galileo satellite signals and UAVs, accurate, cost-efficient soil moisture maps will be produced with a high spatial resolution and flexibility in time: one can fly Mistrale immediately when there is a need to probe the soil humidity conditions.  The Mistrale solution is very agile compared to other mapping techniques and can be used where ever information about soil moisture is necessary, including agricultural fields, flooded areas and natural reservations, to name just a few.

Watch This: Mistrale at the European Space Expo in Milan

The Mistrale project will run for three years. The project will move to the UAV stage within the next two and a half years, as Galileo-based solution offer farmers more precise and faster measurements than available with current sensors or Earth Observation data.

“When you look at a field, you have to look at the differences in soil and height, and also at the crop,” Verschoore says. It is not easy to install a soil sensor. If it was placed next to a potato plant, or another plant that uses a lot of water, the soil could seem dry when just a few feet away it’s much moister. “You need to measure the whole field, and by using the Galileo system you can quickly obtain a high resolution moisture map of your field” he says.

A Group Effort

The Mistrale project brings together a number of European partners. STARLAB provides the front end and the algorithms for the GNSS-R instrument, while M3Systems delivers the back end and implements EGNOS for GNSS integrity for the UAS navigation. GET analyses user needs and inputs data for scientific processing. L’Avion Jaune does the test flights and demonstrations, and ENAC is developing the UAS. AeroVision is responsible for dissemination and the advisory board.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

Mistrale, a project to develop a soil moisture monitoring drone  funded by the GSA under the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, is changing the way European farmers decide on where, when and how much to irrigate. The UAV-mounted sensor produces a detailed map showing the soil moisture differences in an area.

“The population of the world is growing by two billion people,” says Jeroen Verschoore, one of the project managers. “To feed this increasing population requires higher yields. One way is to increase production is to improve the water supply since irrigated crops have a two times higher yield than non-irrigated crops. Adequate soil moisture mapping is a relevant tool to understand the different water needs in different corners of the field.”

Mistrale uses GNSS Reflectometry to create soil moisture maps for farmers and decision makers on water boards and in nature management. The project started in March 2015, and the first test flight was completed in early August. For this test flight a manned aircraft was filled with extensive equipment. Verschoore says this will be downsized and in the future Mistrale will be able to conduct surveys using UAVs.

Also Read: Precision Agriculture Helps Feed Earth’s Growing Population

Currently, an antenna on top of the plane registers the signals of Galileo satellites (on top of GPS and GLONASS ones), measuring their signal’s strength and position. Another antenna located on the bottom of the plane measures the reflected signal, with the characteristics of the reflections revealing the amount of moisture in the soil. “We use GNSS for multiple purposes,” explains Verschoore. “For example, we use EGNOS and, in the future the Galileo signal, both to navigate and for the remote sensing of soil moisture.” 

The second part of the project involves computing a detailed map of the field depicting the areas of different moisture levels via a user-friendly interface. The objective is to extract soil-moisture data and quickly deliver the corresponding map to a farmer or reservoir manager within an hour. Verschoore stresses the importance of this time element: “When you are talking about irrigation you have to be quick,” he says. “When a farmer thinks the soil is dry, he wants to be able to easily measure and find an immediate solution.”

The European GNSS Advantage

MISTRALE uses European GNSS data for both navigating the UAV and for measuring the soil moisture underneath the area it is flying.

The use of Galileo signals, with the larger bandwidth and different carrier frequencies, will significantly improve the precision of mapping. EGNOS will help in improving the vertical accuracy of the positioning solution of the UAV.

Using Galileo satellite signals and UAVs, accurate, cost-efficient soil moisture maps will be produced with a high spatial resolution and flexibility in time: one can fly Mistrale immediately when there is a need to probe the soil humidity conditions.  The Mistrale solution is very agile compared to other mapping techniques and can be used where ever information about soil moisture is necessary, including agricultural fields, flooded areas and natural reservations, to name just a few.

Watch This: Mistrale at the European Space Expo in Milan

The Mistrale project will run for three years. The project will move to the UAV stage within the next two and a half years, as Galileo-based solution offer farmers more precise and faster measurements than available with current sensors or Earth Observation data.

“When you look at a field, you have to look at the differences in soil and height, and also at the crop,” Verschoore says. It is not easy to install a soil sensor. If it was placed next to a potato plant, or another plant that uses a lot of water, the soil could seem dry when just a few feet away it’s much moister. “You need to measure the whole field, and by using the Galileo system you can quickly obtain a high resolution moisture map of your field” he says.

A Group Effort

The Mistrale project brings together a number of European partners. STARLAB provides the front end and the algorithms for the GNSS-R instrument, while M3Systems delivers the back end and implements EGNOS for GNSS integrity for the UAS navigation. GET analyses user needs and inputs data for scientific processing. L’Avion Jaune does the test flights and demonstrations, and ENAC is developing the UAS. AeroVision is responsible for dissemination and the advisory board.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The GSA, along with the European Satellite Services Provider (ESSP), have published two new guides aimed at helping the aviation sector, and in particular ANSPs, airports and aircraft operators, take advantage of EGNOS within their operations.

How to get Operational Approval

The first publication serves as a ‘how-to’ guide for obtaining RNP APCH operational approval in Europe. Entitled How to Obtain RNP APCH Operational Approval to LPV Minima in Europe, the publication provides a set of simple guidelines for aircraft operators within the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) area to facilitate operational approval by their national authorities to perform Localizer Performance with Vertical guidance (LPV) operations.

Technically known as RNP Approach procedures down to LPV minima, LPVs were introduced within the PBN concept as new approach operations based on SBAS (EGNOS in Europe), a technology providing augmentation to GNSS systems like GPS. This type of approach allows for ILS lookalike procedures down to a minimum as low as 200 feet without the need to install any ground infrastructure. As of November 2015, there are over 220 LPV procedures published in Europe, with plans for more than 440 by 2018.

Also Read: EGNOS for Aviation Market Report

To take advantage of these procedures, operators typically need specific approval to fly them. For example, European CAT operators must apply for a specific approval (SPA) via their competent authority. This is because LPVs are a relatively new concept that require not only that the aircraft and its cockpit avionics have the corresponding airworthiness approval, but also that pilots have appropriate training, checking standards and operational procedures in place.

Granted, EASA is currently working to amend some of these regulations, eliminating the burden of having to apply for an SPA. However, operators will still be required to put the necessary operational procedures in place and amend their operational manuals accordingly to obtain approval from their authorities – as is the case for other instrument approach procedures.

To help guide you through the approval process, this How To guide provides step-by-step guidance and insight, covering such topics as:

• What are LPV Approach Procedures
• Current Means to Obtain LPV Operational Approval
• Preliminary Certification Requirements
• Operational Procedures and Operational Manual Amendments
• Crew Training and Training Package Update
• Application for Operational Approval
• EU Member State Singularities
• Mid-Term Evolution of European Regulation on PBN

The guide is free and can be downloaded here.

For ANSPs, Airports and Aircraft Operators

On the other side of the equation is the process of actually implementing LPV, for both ANSP/airports and aircraft operators, which is the focus of the second publication. Entitled Guidelines for ANSP/Airports and Aircraft Operators for LPV Implementation, this publication provides a set of generic guidelines for Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs), airport operators and aircraft operators within the ECAC area to facilitate the operational implementation of LPV operations.

Watch This: EGNOS and Aviation

Implementing LPV procedures provides numerous operational benefits. For example, it reduces the trajectory dispersion, thus reducing the flight’s noise footprint and fuel consumption. More so, in some cases LPVs offer straight-in approaches where not otherwise possible when using conventional NPAs, not to mention having the potential to remove the need for circling approaches.

To ensure both airport and aircraft operators are able to take full advantage of these benefits, the Guidelines cover such topics as:

• EGNOS (system description, services, Safety of Life service, etc.)
• RNP APCH Down to LPV Minima within the ICAO Context
• LPV Implementation Drivers
• LPV Implementation Regulatory Framework
• Guidelines for ANSPs and Airports
• Guidelines for Aircraft Operators

The publication is free and can be downloaded here.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The GSA recently joined members of the Dutch General Aviation Community at Lelystad airfield to discuss the safe use of GNSS – including EGNOS – within the context of General Aviation (GA) operations.

According to the GSA, with EGNOS-based approaches and landings, GA will have access to more small and regional airports – such as Lelystad. This is because EGNOS-enabled landings allow for Cat-1 like approaches (RNP APCH down to LPV 200) without the need for the expensive ground infrastructure that many of these small airports simply cannot afford. In other words, when these airports have a published LPV (Localized Performance with Vertical Guidance) procedure, an-aircraft equipped with EGNOS capable avionics and flown by a properly trained pilot can perform a precision approach with a decision height as low as 200 feet – with the entire approach based on GNSS, as opposed to ground-based navigation aids.  

Also Read: EGNOS LPV 200 Enables Safer Aircraft Landings

“RNAV approaches bring a huge benefit to smaller operators and airports,” says presenter Bart Banning of NIN LVNL. “Thanks to its enhanced efficiency and safety, we believe that soon the entire GA community will be using EGNOS-based approaches – and we’re ready to support many more of these approaches starting today.”

The Lelystad event highlighted the use of EGNOS in the Netherlands. Currently, Deventer Teuge (EHTE) has one published procedure and Groningen/Eelde (EHGG) two. The GSA noted that plans are underway to publish an additional seven procedures at four airports over the course of the next two years. These include two at Lelystad (EHLE), one at Maastricht (EHBK), two at Rotterdam (EHRD) and two at Schiphol (EHAM). Once complete, GA pilots operating in the Netherlands will be able to choose from a comprehensive LPV network spread across the country.

Also Read: General Aviation Enthusiastic About EGNOS

Other topics covered during the workshop included Performance Based Navigation (PBN), Area Navigation (RNAV), an array of regulatory aspects and a look at the GSA funded ACCEPTA project. The event, which attracted nearly 100 participants, was jointly organized by the Netherlands Institute for Navigation (NIN), Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and the Royal Dutch Society for Aerospace (KNVvL).

Discover: EGNOS benefits for General Aviation

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The GSA recently joined members of the Dutch General Aviation Community at Lelystad airfield to discuss the safe use of GNSS – including EGNOS – within the context of General Aviation (GA) operations.

According to the GSA, with EGNOS-based approaches and landings, GA will have access to more small and regional airports – such as Lelystad. This is because EGNOS-enabled landings allow for Cat-1 like approaches (RNP APCH down to LPV 200) without the need for the expensive ground infrastructure that many of these small airports simply cannot afford. In other words, when these airports have a published LPV (Localized Performance with Vertical Guidance) procedure, an-aircraft equipped with EGNOS capable avionics and flown by a properly trained pilot can perform a precision approach with a decision height as low as 200 feet – with the entire approach based on GNSS, as opposed to ground-based navigation aids.  

Also Read: EGNOS LPV 200 Enables Safer Aircraft Landings

“RNAV approaches bring a huge benefit to smaller operators and airports,” says presenter Bart Banning of NIN LVNL. “Thanks to its enhanced efficiency and safety, we believe that soon the entire GA community will be using EGNOS-based approaches – and we’re ready to support many more of these approaches starting today.”

The Lelystad event highlighted the use of EGNOS in the Netherlands. Currently, Deventer Teuge (EHTE) has one published procedure and Groningen/Eelde (EHGG) two. The GSA noted that plans are underway to publish an additional seven procedures at four airports over the course of the next two years. These include two at Lelystad (EHLE), one at Maastricht (EHBK), two at Rotterdam (EHRD) and two at Schiphol (EHAM). Once complete, GA pilots operating in the Netherlands will be able to choose from a comprehensive LPV network spread across the country.

Also Read: General Aviation Enthusiastic About EGNOS

Other topics covered during the workshop included Performance Based Navigation (PBN), Area Navigation (RNAV), an array of regulatory aspects and a look at the GSA funded ACCEPTA project. The event, which attracted nearly 100 participants, was jointly organized by the Netherlands Institute for Navigation (NIN), Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and the Royal Dutch Society for Aerospace (KNVvL).