Remote-Controlled Automation for a Modular Vertical-Farm Hydroponic Growing System

Project Goal: Create a remote-controlled vertical farm to optimize hydroponic leafy green production.

Controlled environment agriculture aims to reduce inputs and increase outputs of food production to feed a rapidly increasing population. The V-Hive Greenbox is a modular and scalable vertical farming system designed to fill the volume of a shipping container. This project focuses on adding automated technology to the smallest fully functional scale to help reduce labor requirements.

The system has a metal frame of lighting boards with horticultural LEDs and growing boards with hydroponic growing channels. The boards are alternated in the frame for optimal light distribution to the plants. Their orientation is remotely adjustable in two dimensions to accommodate the light and space requirements of different plant species and growing phases, as well as harvesting and maintenance. This is accomplished using a belt and pulley rail system above the main frame, allowing the user to extend and retract boards out of the frame and to change the lateral spacing between lights and plants.

A Raspberry Pi can be accessed on-site using the mounted touch screen panel or remotely using Virtual Network Computing. The user can remotely control board movement, the nutrient pump, the air pump and lights. Data from environmental sensors and a camera feed can also be displayed and monitored from off site.