# Towards a Low-Cost Precision Viticulture System Using Internet of Things Devices
## 1 Introduction  
Precision Agriculture (PA) uses traditional farming practices along with technology to make output production more efficient [1]. PA plays an important role in today's agriculture production as it can be used to monitor and control the spread of diseases [2, 3]. For farmers, diseases can be devastating, greatly affecting the output of a crop and limiting the yield produced. Ideally, most farmers would strive to prevent any diseases from occurring altogether, but this is not always the case. Controlling the likelihood of diseases occurring requires advanced knowledge on factors such as vegetation type, soil, and weather, with the latter being the most unpredictable. The timing of disease manifesting is unknown, and it depends on the conditions which are necessary for its development. Events such as rain or high winds can easily transfer diseases between plants. Therefore, once a disease has been identified, measures need to be taken to prevent a serious outbreak which can have a major impact on the yield and quality of harvest for that season and future seasons. Vineyards are one area in agriculture where precise monitoring can alleviate the damage that could be caused to plants. In addition to diseases, farmers need to be on the lookout for pests such as birds, insects, and other animals which can cause damage to the plants in a vineyard. In an attempt to minimize the amount of damage that occurs, all sections in the vineyard are checked, which is referred to as scouting. Ideally, scouting is to take place at least once a week with special attention given to areas that are prone to diseases and pests. Unfortunately, scouting is known to be a very manual process, requiring a key eye to detail to accurately detect problem spots in the field. It is also a very time-consuming process requiring alarge number of hours for a large field to be checked thoroughly [4]. Since most diseases prefer cool shady areas, such as the underside of leaves, they are often missed by those who are inexperienced [5]. To help manage those who specialize in scouting fields for areas that require special attention, one promising approach is the use of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). By using a WSN, sensor nodes can be placed in areas where the probability of a certain event to occur is high. If an event does occur, a notification could be issued to the farmers to indicate where an action to solve the problem should take place. Using this type of monitoring system would be greatly beneficial for those with large fields as micro-climates can often cause minor changes in weather conditions over little distances [6]. At the same time, these technologies would be even more useful in the cases of heterogeneous environments, like hilly terrains or similar. On top of a WSN, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, can also be used to provide real-time data along with high-quality pictures that can help with the detection of the disease. In recent years, due to the rapid technological advancements, commercial use of UAVs has become more common [7, 8]. With technology now more openly available for use and prices in the range for everyday consumers, custom drone solutions can be designed for almost any type of application. Having the ability to be programmable and function far distances without any human interaction, drones are very flexible devices that can enhance monitoring in the field [9]. Due to its small stature, its maneuverability, and the ability to access and view areas that a human would not be able to [10], drones can provide many advantages for PA. One instance where drones have a clear advantage is in taking aerial views. For a human to take aerial pictures, some possible options are through the use of satellites or by flying with a plane, both of which are expensive and not very accurate. By being able to monitor from not only ground levels but also from above would allow farmers to gain a new perspective on the challenges presented to them.