Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/907666
62 WINES&VINES December 2017 GRAPEGROWING WINE EAST I only get involved when the software makes a mistake or eva- sive action is required. That might be surprising to some readers, but the level of au- tonomy runs even deeper. When a human manually pilots a drone, the user employs a remote control- ler to actively direct the vehicle. But when a computer operates the remote controller, it has options unavailable to humans. Sure, the iPad could mimic human joystick movements to fly the drone from Point A to Point B, but it could also just tell the drone's onboard flight computer to find its own way to Point A. This assumes that the drone is smart enough to do that, which is often the case. Once at Point A, the iPad can issue the next instruction telling the drone to find its own way to Point B. The actual messaging between the iPad, remote controller and onboard flight computer is more complicated than that, but you get the picture. If everything is going smoothly, the drone is doing most of the thinking; the remote controller is sending mes- sages to the drone that have little to do with joysticks; the iPad is intermittently barking orders at the remote controller, and the human pilot is standing around eating a ham sandwich. This lay- ering of control is not so different from commercial air travel but at a vastly smaller scale in vehicle size, complexity, cost and special meal requests. The highest level of drone au- tonomy occurs when the com- munication between the drone and the remote controller is lost. - B E C O PA D - Y E A S T & E N Z Y M E S - C R U S H PA D E Q U I P M E N T - S T E R I L E F I LT R AT I O N - W I N E R Y H O S E - O A K A LT E R N AT I V E S EASTERN WINE LABS Serving the Analytical needs of East Coast Wineries WWW.EASTERNWINELABS.COM Ph 609-859-4302 Cell 609-668-2854 chemist@easternwinelabs.com AOAC Member Basic Hoe comes with a Hillup and a Takeaway Blade. Additional attachments include .3 Tooth Cultivator, Undercutter Blade, Rotary head, " NEW " Rolling Cultivator and "Vine Auger". The Green Hoe Company, Inc. 6645 West Main Road, Portland, NY 14769 PHONE (716) 792-9433 FAX (716) 792-9434 WWW.GREENHOECOMPANY.COM GREEN GRAPE HOE This aerial view of a vineyard shows variable vineyard floor health and vine size. If everything is going smoothly, the drone is doing most of the thinking; the remote controller is sending messages to the drone that have little to do with joysticks; the iPad is intermittently barking orders at the remote controller, and the human pilot is standing around eating a ham sandwich.