Which Fields in Agriculture Can Use Agricultural Weather Stations?

Which Fields in Agriculture Can Use Agricultural Weather Stations? 

Agricultural weather stations are widely applied in almost all modern agricultural production scenarios. The main fields include: 

1. Open-field crop planting (rice, wheat, corn, cotton, vegetables, etc.)

2. Greenhouse and facility agriculture (vegetable/flower greenhouses, plant factories)

3. Orchard and fruit tree management (citrus, apples, grapes, tea gardens)

4. Livestock and pasture management (monitoring heat stress in cattle/sheep barns, grassland evapotranspiration)

5. Agricultural scientific research and experimental stations (variety trials, climate change research)

6. Precision irrigation and water-saving agriculture (drip irrigation, sprinkler irrigation decision-making)

7. Plant protection and pest forecasting (early warning of downy mildew, blight, locusts, etc.)

8. Soil improvement and fertilizer management (monitoring salinity and fertilization effects)

9. Agricultural insurance and disaster assessment (frost, drought, hail verification data)

10. Smart farms and digital agriculture platforms (integration with drones, agricultural machinery, IoT systems)

Agricultural Weather Stations: Complete Analysis of Definition, Principles, Structure, Measurement Methods, and Applications 

An agricultural weather station is a key foundational device in the agricultural IoT system. By continuously monitoring multiple elements such as temperature, humidity, wind, rain, and light, it provides real-time data support for crop planting, greenhouse management, pest and disease warning, and irrigation decisions. This article comprehensively explains the working principles, structural design, signal output, installation methods, troubleshooting, and selection guidelines of agricultural weather stations from an engineering and application perspective, suitable as an industry knowledge base. 

 I. Definition of Agricultural Weather Station 

An Agricultural Weather Station is an integrated monitoring system that combines multiple meteorological sensors to automatically collect agricultural-related meteorological and environmental parameters over long periods with high stability. Parameters typically include: 

- Air temperature and humidity  

- Wind speed and direction  

- Precipitation  

- Light intensity and solar radiation  

- Soil temperature, moisture, EC, pH  

- Atmospheric pressure, evapotranspiration, leaf wetness, etc. 

Its core function is to realize monitoring, recording, early warning, and decision support through the chain: Sensors → Data collector → Communication module → Cloud platform.

 II. Working Principles and Signal Transmission Logic 

The working principle consists of three layers: 

 1. Sensor Measurement Principles (different for each parameter) 

2. Signal Output and Transmission Logic 

Main signal pathways supported: 

(1) Analog output (4–20 mA / 0–5V / 0–10V)  

→ Commonly used in traditional industrial control; 4–20 mA has strong anti-interference and transmission distance >1000 m 

(2) Digital output (RS485 / Modbus-RTU) — Most popular  

→ Can connect multiple sensors, supports multi-node networking up to 1200 m  

→ Common function codes: 03 (read holding registers), 04 (read input registers) 

(3) Wireless communication (LoRa / 4G/5G)  

→ LoRa: suitable for farmland, typical range 1–3 km  

→ 4G/5G: remote transmission, no distance limit

 3. Data Processing Principle 

Data flow path:  

Sensor → Collector (A/D conversion or RS485 parsing) → Communication module (LoRa/4G) → Cloud platform (parsing, storage, visualization) → PC/APP/API 

Cloud platform performs:  

- Sensor calibration compensation  

- Data filtering (moving average/denoising)  

- Anomaly detection and alarms  

- Decision models (irrigation demand, pest & disease models, etc.)

 III. Structural Composition 

A typical automatic agricultural weather station includes: 

1. Sensor modules  

   Temperature & humidity, wind speed & direction, rain gauge, light/radiation, soil sensors (optional), CO₂, EC, leaf wetness (expandable) 

2. Main data collector  

   Multiple RS485 & analog channels, 8–32 GB storage, solar/city power management 

3. Communication module  

   4G/LoRa/NB-IoT, supports MQTT/HTTP/Modbus TCP 

4. Mounting structure  

   Pole/tripod, bird spikes, waterproof enclosure, outdoor cabinet 

5. Power system  

   Solar panel + battery or 220 V AC → 12 V DC

 IV. Measurement Methods and Typical Configuration 

V. Typical Technical Specifications 

Host collector 

Common sensor parameters 

VI. Installation Standards and Methods 

1. Installation Standards  

   - Temp/humidity sensor: 1.5–2.0 m above ground, with radiation shield  

   - Wind sensors: ≥10 m or unobstructed  

   - Rain gauge: 0.7–1 m, perfectly level  

   - Radiation sensor: no shading  

   - Soil probes: 10/20/30 cm depths  

   - North alignment for wind direction  

   - Add 120 Ω terminal resistor at RS485 bus end  

   - Keep signal cables >10 cm away from power lines 

2. Installation Steps  

   1. Choose unobstructed location and erect pole  

   2. Mount solar panel and battery box  

   3. Install sensors at specified heights  

   4. Connect RS485 and power wiring  

   5. Set Modbus address and baud rate  

   6. Power on and verify data refresh  

   7. Log into cloud platform to confirm online status  

   8. Calibrate rainfall, wind direction, etc.

 VII. Common Faults and Troubleshooting Guide 

 VIII. Typical Application Scenarios 

1. Field crop management  

   Sowing window, irrigation timing, frost/heat warning, pest model input 

2. Greenhouse environment control  

   Precise regulation of temperature, humidity, CO₂; automatic ventilation/shading/humidification 

3. Facility and smart agriculture  

   Linkage with automatic irrigation, valves, drones, and machinery 

4. Agricultural research and breeding  

   Long-term meteorological data accumulation and model input

 IX. Selection Recommendations 

1. Open field → Wind, rain, light, air T/RH, 3-layer soil moisture, 4G + solar  

2. Greenhouse → T/RH, CO₂, PAR, soil moisture, control interface  

3. Research → Solar radiation, air pressure, high-precision rainfall, multi-layer soil, local backup 

Key selection criteria: accuracy, Modbus support, >8 channels, IP65–IP67, wide temperature range, calibration certificates. 

 X. Comparison: Agricultural vs. General Weather Stations 

 FAQ 

1. Do they need calibration? → Yes, especially wind direction, rainfall, and soil sensors.  

2. Maintenance frequency? → Outdoor: inspect every 1–3 months.  

3. Must wind sensors be at 10 m? → Not mandatory, but higher is more standard.  

4. Max RS485 length? → 1200 m standard, extendable with repeaters.  

5. Can they link with auto-irrigation? → Yes, via RS485/relay/cloud strategy.  

6. How long do solar systems last on cloudy days? → 3–7 days depending on battery capacity.  

7. Must rain gauge be level? → Absolutely; most error comes from tilt.  

13. What certificates does NiuBoL equipment have? → CE, ISO9001, RoHS, and calibration certificates.

 Summary 

Agricultural weather stations are the infrastructure of smart agriculture. Their value lies in replacing experience with data and guesswork with models. From sensor principles, signal transmission, and structural design to installation standards, troubleshooting, and application scenarios, this system forms the “environmental perception layer” of agricultural production. 

As agricultural IoT accelerates, agricultural weather stations will continue to deeply integrate with automatic irrigation, pest forecasting, and greenhouse control, becoming a key technological tool for sustainable agricultural development.