Journal Article

The Status of Intelligent Control Technology for the Working Height of a Crop Harvesting Header

Wu, Feng, Gu, Fengwei, Pei, Jiayong, Chen, Peng, Zhou, Xinsheng, Zhao, Chenxu, Zhang, Yanqin, Yang, Hongguang

2025

Overview

As is well known, intelligence and efficiency are important development directions for modern agriculture. The harvesting header, as key components of crop harvesters, have significant implications for achieving intelligent control of their working height, which has a notable impact on reducing harvest loss. To understand the current state of intelligent control technology for the working height of a crop harvesting header, and to explore their application potential, this article provides a relatively systematic literature review. Firstly, we analyzed the structure and principle of the harvesting header of typical grain and oil crops such as rice and peanuts. Secondly, we briefly described the current methods for controlling the working height of the harvesting header. They mainly use two methods: mechanical profiling and electro-hydraulic profiling. Thirdly, we focused on researching and analyzing the measurement methods and control algorithms for the working height of the harvesting header. Finally, we pointed out the problems in the current height control of the harvesting header. These problems mainly include insufficient measurement accuracy of working height in complex terrain, slow response and large delay of working height hydraulic control system, incompatibility between working height control models and strategies, and relatively single working height measurement methods.

• Publisher: MDPI AG
• Subject: Accuracy / Agricultural production / algorithm / Algorithms / Analysis / Control algorithms / Control systems / Controllers / Crops / Harvest / Harvesting / harvesting header / Hu Hung / Hydraulics / Sensors / Soybeans / Technology application / Vision systems / working height sensor