Research expedient camera and sensor mast

Authors: McIntyre, Joseph; Todd Jr, Kenneth; Cook, Hunter

Submitted to: Applied Engineering in Agriculture
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/24/2026
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Scientist and farmers use cameras and electronic sensors to study and monitor growing crops. To see larger areas of the fields the cameras and sensors need to be placed high over the field. Drones can fly high but only visit the fields. To continuously watch the fields a tower or mast to hold the camera and sensors is needed. A prototype camera mast designed to be easily constructed from common building materials was constructed and tested at the National Peanut Research Laboratory environmental control plots. The mast allowed for time-lapse images to be taken of peanuts plants growing under drought conditions. The images let researchers see over an entire growing season how plants responded at one minute intervals. Measurements of plant growth and health can be done using the images.

Technical Abstract: Agricultural engineers conducting research or practicing in industry can deploy a large variety of instrumentation to investigate, monitor, and control agricultural processes. Placing these instruments for optimum performance in the fields and facilities where the agricultural activity is taking place can be difficult. Designing, constructing, and deploying the mounting structure for the instruments becomes an engineering challenge of its own. As with all engineering challenges, this one must be overcome with the available resources. A “Research Expedient Camera Mast" for observation of experimental plots that can be constructed from standard building supplies using hand and light shop tools was designed, constructed and deployed at the National Peanut Research Laboratory. The goal was to produce an effective senors platform for field observation that could be easily constructed with commonly available materials and tools. The "Research Expedient Camera Mast" is a "T" shaped structure able to place two cameras 4.9 m above the center of the two adjacent plots from outside the boarder of the plots. Cameras can be placed and removed from the mast with a pole fitted with a lifting tool from the ground by hand. The mast design can be constructed using hand tools if necessary making it applicable to use in remote locations. The use of commonly available construction materials makes the camera mast a low cost sensor mounting structure. Time-lapse images were successfully collected at one-minute intervals for the entire growing season of peanut plants undergoing drought stress. Plant growth and health data can be measured using the images.