technology

Looking up at the sky, monitoring the weather forecast, and assessing whether the plant receives enough water and nutrients is by no means easy.

On the other hand, optimized water consumption, low maintenance of the system, more free time, and less money spent on gas, bills, and workforce are all results of implementing autonomous drip irrigation systems.

In this article, we want to introduce you to the autonomous drip irrigation system and explain how the system optimizes water consumption.

What Is an Autonomous Drip Irrigation System?

An autonomous drip irrigation system is a system that enables farmers to irrigate their crops exactly when there is a need for it with little to no manual work.

This drip irrigation system uses the exact amount of water the crops need based on the information received from the sensors and allows farmers to save water when there’s enough rain to water their crops. Autonomous irrigation systems are controlled remotely through an app, which presents a fantastic use of AI in agriculture for better results and high-quality products

What Does the Autonomous Drip Irrigation System Consist Of?

One of the best features of the autonomous drip irrigation system is that it does not occupy too much space. The system comprises a controller and different sensors that farmers want to use.

Farmers can upgrade their existing irrigation systems without purchasing a new one. Smart Watering autonomous irrigation system comes with no costs for remodeling infrastructure.

Irrigation sensors are the other part of the autonomous irrigation system. Freeze sensor, soil moisture sensor, pH sensor, EC sensor, and wind sensor are all easy to install.

Farmers Can Read Real-Time Data From Sensors Through an App on Their Phones

The controller reads the data from the sensors. The data goes straight to the cloud, and a farmer can read it through an app on their phone. Real-time precise data helps farmers make informed decisions about the right time to irrigate.

For example, if there is rain outside, the sensors can read it, and there is no need for irrigation. Or, if the water flow sensor shows signs of abnormal activity, the farmer can react fast in case of a flood or irrigation system malfunction.

How Does the Autonomous Drip Irrigation System Optimize Water Consumption?

With the right equipment, real-time data, and reliable sensors, it is possible to:

• Irrigate plants only when necessary
• Identify possible leakage timely (f there is a leakage in the pipe, it might take days for farmers to notice it, which will lead to over-watering and overusing water as a resource)
• Control the irrigation system remotely

These possibilities allow farmers to optimize water consumption and use only what’s necessary to grow healthy crops.

Benefits of the Autonomous Drip Irrigation System

Farming has never been thought of as being easy, modern, or predictable.

Because of bad weather, scarce or expensive resources, plenty of physical labor, and changing prices of fertilizers on the market, there is a negative image of farming in general.

Luckily, all of this is changing with the implementation of an autonomous drip irrigation system.

It Saves Water

Around 50% of water is lost with manual or non-autonomous irrigation systems. Some even claim that approximately 70 percent of water evaporates soon after irrigation. The reason for this is primarily wind and evaporation.

Farmers who live in areas where water is a scarce resource cannot allow losing such a high percentage of water. Smart Watering autonomous drip-irrigation system prevents water loss and saves up to 30 percent of water per season.

The idea of such a system is not in preserving the water, though. On the contrary, it is all about providing the plant with exactly what it needs.

It is easy to administer the exact amount of water a crop will need with fantastic drip irrigation sensors and real-time data readings. Sometimes that amount is higher than usual, and it is significantly lower at other times.

It Reduces the Need for Physical Labor

When farmers install an autonomous drip irrigation system, the first thing that they notice is that there is no need to be present on the farm all the time.

Instead, they can be in the city, focusing on other elements of their business and not on the farm. Since the drip irrigation system will turn on when the sensors indicate that the moisture levels are low, there is no need to monitor the weather.

A case study that the team from Smart watering company conducted states that the need for visiting the orchard has been reduced by four times in a single season. This is a fantastic result that gives farmers plenty of freedom to organize their time as they see appropriate.

There is also another benefit that comes from the reduced need to visit the farm. Farmers will not have to spend as much money on gas to reach their farms. The money they save on workforce, gas, and water consumption farmers can point at can therefore point at purchasing the state-of-the-art equipment.

Better Yields

Even though growing crops is a complex task that requires plenty of knowledge, tradition, and skill, proper irrigation plays a crucial role in producing healthier crops.

The chances of producing a healthy, excellent-looking crop increase when farmers provide it with enough fertilizers, pesticides, and water throughout the season.

A properly nourished plant day by day will more likely be better looking, larger, and healthier than a plant that hasn’t been. And not only this, but farmers will increase the number of crops by using proper drip irrigation.

The Autonomous Drip Irrigation System Is the Future of Farming

Given the number of benefits an autonomous drip irrigation system has for both crops and the farmers, implementing the autonomous drip irrigation system is a perfect choice. 

If you want to provide the best possible care for your crops, contact us today, and we will be happy to assist you.