Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree
Master of Technology: Electrical Engineering
at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2012 / This research project addresses the unique challenges of extensive farming in terms of
monitoring and controlling remote equipment or events. Poorly maintained roads and
escalating fuel costs increase difficulty of farming and the time spent on physically
monitoring remote sites further reduces financial yields. The research showed that there are
very few solutions that implement wireless or electronic technology to overcome the
challenges associated with these isolated and arid areas and that a low-cost, long range
wireless telemetry solution that is easy to use would be beneficial for the extensive farming
industry. It was therefore the aim of this project to develop a remote monitoring and
controlling solution that implements wireless technology to convey information of activities
around the farm utilising electronic means.
To be able to successfully develop a wireless telemetry solution that will accurately meet the
needs of this specific sector of industry, market research was conducted. To guide the
research, the QFD (quality function deployment) process for product development has been
implemented. The research consisted out of various aspects including a survey, financial
considerations and international comparisons. The research also aided in the understanding
of the day-to-day activities and also the physical parameters of extensive farms. Also,
currently available technologies and products were evaluated to establish whether
similarities exist that will aid in the development of a new product.
The development process was based on the results obtained in the market research and
resulted in a wireless telemetry solution that overcame all the design challenges and proved
to be technically feasible, successfully addressing the application requirements. Zigbee
technology was utilized for wireless communication because it provided an off-the-shelf
solution with a number of readily available development platforms from various technology
providers. A communication range of up to 6 kilometres with a transmitted power of 11dBm
was achieved for point-to-point communication and a mesh network topology has been
implemented for even longer range and complete coverage on farms. Various types of
measurements have been catered for, with custom-designed instrumentation which enabled
measurements such as water levels, movement and analogue signals. Also, a basic user
interface was developed to enable the user to monitor or control the equipment or events
remotely from a personal computer, locally or even over the internet.
The results of this research project showed that by carefully selecting available technologies
and understanding the application, it is possible to develop a solution that addresses the
monitoring and controlling needs associated with extensive farming. The wireless telemetry
system that was developed resulted in a saving equal to 10% of the total expenses of the
farms per year. The telemetry system is therefore a financially feasible solution with a
payback period of less than 1 year and far below the initial estimated budget. Without the
need to physically monitoring equipment and events, an increase in productivity and the
expansion of the overall enterprise is a further benefit added unto the monetary savings. In
addition to the financial benefits of implementing new wireless technology, this is an
opportunity to contribute to a cleaner and more sustained future as a legacy for the next
generation by reducing the carbon footprint of the farm.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:cput/oai:localhost:20.500.11838/1173 |
| Date | January 2012 |
| Creators | Rootman, Adriaan Cornelius |
| Publisher | Cape Peninsula University of Technology |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/za/ |
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