Looking for platform to keep deer from eating seedlings
This year I plan on planting several hundred seedlings on about 5 acres of hilly land and would like some affordable way of keeping the deer from eating everything. What would this forum recommend? I use to be heavy into robots but steeped away several years ago.
I'm not looking for a multi-thousand dollar solution but at the same time I understand an outdoor rated robot platform would not be cheep. I'm thinking of something that would drive around to random places in my field and sit and detect motion. If motion was detected report it wirelessly and drive towards it to scare it away.
I see a lot of stuff for banging around in a room out there but not much for patrolling outside where you have to consider temperature, mud, very ruff surface etc...
I'm not looking for a multi-thousand dollar solution but at the same time I understand an outdoor rated robot platform would not be cheep. I'm thinking of something that would drive around to random places in my field and sit and detect motion. If motion was detected report it wirelessly and drive towards it to scare it away.
I see a lot of stuff for banging around in a room out there but not much for patrolling outside where you have to consider temperature, mud, very ruff surface etc...
Comments
1) Add a barking dog sound with big speakers to a Thumper.
2) Can you use PIR detectors on the perimeter (how do you prevent false triggers?)
3) Can a GPS be used to return your robot close to an origin
4) Might be good to have a sleep mode with all non essential power cut off - relay maybe?
5) How about solar recharging? I assume you'll have a little robot dog house with solar panels on it.
6) What are you going to call your robot-guard dog? We need a contest.
Once deer discover where there's tasty food, they're almost impossible to keep out.
All your points I can knock out even the GPS navigation. I just need a platform to build on and by platform I'm talking about a good size frame with tracks or wheels with enough battery storage to get me through a few days without sunshine. Ken and Chris have made so many cool robot platforms and motor kits I was hoping to find someone who has created a clean all terrain version of one of them. I don't want to recreate the wheel here.
I bet I end up going with your fence idea. Humm, how about a micro fence or some type of a pole with a hot wire around the top. Place it by every tree. To do that the cost would have to be less than a dollar so never mind. Not doable.
-Phil
Keeps not only the deer away but the nosy neighbor kids, too.
I can see it now! PROP COP or maybe BUZZ FUZZ to guard your property.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5-d3rZZ-_M
I guess the main problem here is your requirement of multiple days. Electric batteries are heavy. And if the robot gets to big it will destroy your seedlings also.
But I like Phil's name contest entry. Sounds nice, at first. Difo.
Anyways, some questions are there.
How long you need to protect them seedlings? If it is just a couple of month hire some Mexican and give him a 30/30. You might get some meat out of it too. If longer as a couple of month get some guard dogs. Two of them at least they need the pack-feeling. You can automate drinking and feeding, but I would feed them by myself. So you are always welcome there.
Whatever crop you are growing there might need protection for a long time so serious fencing like @Domanik described might be the right and best way to go anyways.
But still you may have intruders, even with a fence. Short farming requires you to go there and look at. At least look at. So - servo mounted wireless cameras to observe? Internet possible at the property?
I currently live on 14 acre fenced property. The fence is 20+ years old, the electrification does no work since some years, but my Irish Wulfhounds are to big to crawl under the fence anyways. They could jump over even if it is 6 foot high, but they don't do stuff like that.
The dear's do. No problem. They have their trails here and the fence does not irritate them at all. Them dear's here in northern California are like mountain goats. 6 foot fence is nothing, even uphill. Inside the property we have another fenced off part, the backyard as mum called it. It's fenced 8 foot high sort of and connected to the main house. Even there somebody 'steals' in the summer time. Either you shoot them or you arrange yourself with them.
Since I am not a fan of shooting anything, I arranged myself with them. There is already a place on the property where some puddle of water is attracting them. Here in Northern California the winter is the time of blossom and food. It's raining and everything blooms. No food problem for any animal here. But in the long hot summer and later things are different.
So if them struggle I put some food near the water source. Keeps them away from the garden.
Enjoy!
Mike
http://www.amazon.com/Contech-CRO101-Scarecrow-Activated-Sprinkler/dp/B000071NUS
However, I'm curious on the quad copter suggestion. How would you detect deer during flight? Are you guys thinking of observing a video feed of the flight to spot the deer? Keep in mind the deer will most likely feed at night or around twilight. I would like the solution to be automated in that I don't have to do anything but check on it a few times a week. Are any of the quad copters to the point where they can land themselves into some type of charging station and then repeat the patrol every 6 hours? Can they do this in the rain, sub freezing temperatures, high winds, and at night?
I think the best use of the quad would be to respond to a motion detector. If I had a network of motion detectors scanning the seedlings they could trigger a quad to fly out buzz the spot take a few photos and then return home and wait for the next alarm. I bet it wouldn't take long for the deer to get use to the noise and they would just keep eating away. I think I need something with teeth, back to the dogs idea.
Happy Judgement Day, very soon!