Corn Plant Counting Using Deep Learning and UAV Images

The adoption of new technologies, such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), image processing, and machine learning, is disrupting traditional concepts in agriculture, with a new range of possibilities opening in its fields of research. Plant density is one of the most important corn (Zea mays L.) yield factors, yet its precise measurement after the emergence of plants is impractical in large-scale production fields due to the amount of labor required. This letter aims to develop techniques that enable corn plant counting and the automation of this process through deep learning and computational vision, using images of several corn crops obtained using a low-cost unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platform assembled with an RGB sensor.