A smart nail platform for wireless subsoil health monitoring via unmanned aerial vehicle-assisted radio frequency interrogation.

ABSTRACT: Monitoring subsoil conditions across large agricultural areas is essential for optimizing resource use and supporting sustainable crop production. However, most existing sensing systems rely on battery-powered electronics that are costly, require maintenance, and are difficult to scale. To address these limitations, we introduce HARVEST (Hybrid Antenna for Radio frequency-enhanced Volumetric water content and Electrical conductivity-based Soil Tracking), a low-cost, wireless platform that eliminates the need for onboard electronics. HARVEST uses nail-shaped sensing probes physically and electrically coupled to a triple-ring antenna positioned above the ground, reducing signal loss while preserving sensitivity to subsurface changes. Variations in soil moisture and salinity modify the electr

SUBMITTER: Ramesh Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12855806 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature