Olive Tree Metrics Assessment by UAV Photogrammetric Approach

Having a reliable system able to reproduce accurate 3D models of the trees is one of the most important factors in precision agriculture management. Models can be manipulated to extract tree metrics which can be used to evaluate agricultural practices such as pruning, irrigation, fertilization and pest management. Now, good progress has been made in 3D reconstruction of the trees by digital models usually exploiting expensive equipment. In this work, a photogrammetric approach is used to reconstruct point clouds of olive (Olea europaea L.) trees, using a low-cost drone equipped with a RGB camera. The accuracy of the 3D models is assessed by comparing the model to manual field canopy measurements.