ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

INVESTIGATION REPORT
PROJECT 1

DIPLOMA : ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

ACADEMIC SESSION : SESSION 2: 2024/2025

TITLE : AUTOMATIC WATER PLANTING

SYSTEM

NAME : MUHAMMAD HAZIQ BIN

ASMADI

REGISTRATION NO. : 15DET23F1112

SUPERVISOR : PUAN NURUL FAZURA BINTI

ABD HAMID

COMMENT :
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 TABLE OF CONTENTS
No TABLE OF CONTENTS II
1.1 Introduction 1
1.2 Problem Statement 2
1.3 Project Objectives 2
1.4 Project Scope and Constraints 3
1.5 Project Review 4
1.5.1 Project Review 1 (Project/Article title) 4
1.5.2 Project Review 2 (Project/Article title) 5
1.5.3 Project Review 3 (Project/Article title) 6
1.6 Project Management and Finance 7
1.6.1 Cost Estimation 7
1.6.2 Project Duration 8
1.6.3 Project Usability 9
1.7 Methodology 9
1.7.1 Technical Resources 9
1.7.2 Financial Resources 9
1.8 Conclusion and Recommendation 10
1.8.1 Conclusion 10
1.8.2 Recommendation 10
1.8.3 Benefit to Organization /Society/Nation/Others 10
REFERENCES 11

II
INVESTIGATION REPORT

Introduction

Automatic Plant Watering System is an innovative solution aimed at simplifying

the process of watering plants, particularly for crops such as chili, mustard greens,
and okra. In conventional farming or gardening practices, plant watering is usually
done manually, which can be time-consuming and inefficient—especially when
consistent watering is needed daily. This system is developed to reduce human
intervention by using modern technology to automate the watering process.

The project combines three main components: a soil moisture sensor, a timer, and
an automated irrigation system. The soil moisture sensor functions to monitor the
level of moisture in the soil in real-time. When the sensor detects that the soil has
reached a dry threshold, it sends a signal to activate the water pump. The timer helps
control the frequency and duration of watering, optimizing water usage and avoiding
overwatering or underwatering. The irrigation system, which is connected to a water
source, then delivers water directly to the base of the plants efficiently.

This system ensures that the plants receive the appropriate amount of water based on
actual soil conditions rather than a fixed schedule. It not only helps maintain healthy
plant growth but also conserves water and reduces labor costs, making it ideal for
both small-scale and larger agricultural applications. Additionally, it is
environmentally friendly and can be powered using renewable energy sources such
as solar panels, making it sustainable in the long run.

Overall, this automatic plant watering system is a practical and smart farming
solution that promotes efficient resource management while supporting consistent
crop growth.

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 Problem Statement

Traditional plant watering methods heavily rely on manual labor, which often leads
to several inefficiencies and challenges in crop management. One major issue is the
inconsistency in watering, where plants may receive too much or too little water
depending on human availability and judgment. This irregularity can negatively
affect plant health and growth, leading to reduced crop yield. Additionally, manual
watering practices are typically not guided by actual soil moisture levels,
resulting in excessive or insufficient water usage. This not only wastes a valuable
resource but also increases operational costs, especially in areas with limited water
supply.

Moreover, manual irrigation consumes a significant amount of time and physical

effort, particularly for individuals managing large-scale or multiple planting areas.
This makes it impractical for people with busy schedules or limited physical capacity
to maintain optimal watering routines. In the long run, such systems become
unsustainable and inefficient. Therefore, there is a strong need for an automated
planting system that can provide consistent, controlled, and efficient watering based
on real-time soil conditions. A system like this would not only improve water usage
efficiency but also save time, reduce labor demands, and support sustainable
agricultural practices.

Project Objectives

The main objective of this project is to reduce need for manual

labor,prevent water wastage and provide and efficient solution for
sustainable agriculture

1.To develop a reformed system

2.To achieve efficient water usage
3.To save time and energy

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 Project Scope and Constraints

The scope of this project is to design and develop an automated irrigation system
specifically tailored for medium-scale agricultural farms, such as those cultivating
chili plants, okra, and mustard greens. The system is intended to ensure efficient
water delivery to each plant, based on its individual watering needs. The use of a
timer will control the water supply, determining when and for how long the water is
delivered to the plants. The system will integrate components such as a motor,
sensor, and timer to automate the irrigation process, ensuring water is provided
consistently and efficiently. The irrigation system is designed to optimize water
usage, reduce manual labor, and improve crop yield by maintaining the right
moisture levels in the soil.

Despite its benefits, the system has several constraints that need to be considered.
One limitation is the dependency on power sources; the system will require a
reliable power supply to function effectively, particularly for the motor and sensors.
Additionally, sensor accuracy is crucial for the system’s performance, as any failure
or inaccuracy in detecting soil moisture levels may result in either overwatering or
underwatering. Another constraint is the installation and maintenance
requirements, which could pose challenges for farmers with limited technical
expertise. Finally, the system may not be suitable for large-scale agricultural
operations without further modification due to its design being intended for medium-
scale farming.

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 Project Review

1.5.1 Project Review 1 (Project/Article title)

Automatic Identification and Monitoring of Plant Diseases Using Unmanned Aerial

Vehicles: A Review
by Krishna Neupane and Fulya Baysal-Gurel
Otis L. Floyd Nursery Research Center, Department of Agricultural and
Environmental Sciences, Tennessee State University, McMinnville, TN 37110, USA

 The training and validation of datasets are important characteristics of data

analysis. Currently, different algorithms and architectures of machine
learning models are used to classify and detect plant diseases. These models
help in image segmentation and feature extractions to interpret results.
Researchers also use the values of vegetative indices, such as Normalized
Difference Vegetative Index (NDVI), Crop Water Stress Index (CWSI), etc.,
acquired from different multispectral and hyperspectral sensors to fit into the
statistical models to deliver results. There are still various drifts in the
automatic detection of plant diseases as imaging sensors are limited by their
own spectral bandwidth, resolution, background noise of the image, etc. The
future of crop health monitoring using UAVs should include a gimble
consisting of multiple sensors, large datasets for training and validation, the
development of site-specific irradiance systems, and so on. This review
briefly highlights the advantages of automatic detection of plant diseases to
the growers.
 Barbedo, J.G.A. A review on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles and imaging
sensors for monitoring and assessing plant stresses. Drones 2019, 3, 40.
[Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
 Barbedo, J.G.A.; Koenigkan, L.V. Perspectives on the use of unmanned aerial
systems to monitor cattle. Outlook Agric. 2018, 47, 214–222. [Google
Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]

 https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/13/19/3841

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 1.5.2 Project Review 2 (Project/Article title)

 Research on automatic irrigation control: State of the art and recent results
 R. Romero a, J.L. Muriel b, I. García b , D. Muñoz de la Peña
 Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología (IRNASE-CSIC), Avenida
Reina Mercedes 10, 41012
 Availability of fresh water is one of the elementary conditions for life on
Earth, however, water is a limited resource, which is now under an
unprecedented pressure by global population growth, climate change and
demand from several economic sectors such as tourism, industry, and
agriculture. In particular, irrigated agriculture is one of the major water-
consuming sectors. The aforementioned issues justify the need for a
sustainable and rational use of water in irrigated crops, which motivates the
implementation of new precise automatic irrigation technologies based on
control theory. In this paper, we introduce the main concepts of control
theory, how can it be applied to irrigation and a literature review of automatic
irrigation control systems over the last decade. In addition, we present our
latest developments in this field. In particular, we present some promising
preliminary experimental results of four different control strategies applied to
fruit trees in southern Spain to show the potential of the application of control
techniques to irrigation.
 Online website available: N. Abraham et al.
 Irrigation automation based on soil electrical conductivity and leaf temperature
Agricultural Water Management
(2000)
 Online website available R. Cáceres et al.
 Adaptation of an automatic irrigation-control tray system for outdoor
nurseries
Biosystems Engineering
(2007)

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378377412001746/links/612
8c98ec69a4e48795e7231/MULTI-OBJECTIVES-USING-ARDUINO-
FORPROGRAMMING-THE-ELECTRICAL-CONTROL-SYSTEMS-AN-
OVERVIEW.pdf

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1.5.3 Project Review 3 (Project/Article title)

 Monitoring and Control Systems in Agriculture Using Intelligent Sensor

Techniques: A Review of the Aeroponic System
 Imran Ali Lakhiar, Gao Jianmin, Tabinda Naz Syed, Farman Ali
Chandio, Noman Ali Buttar, Waqar Ahmed Qureshi
 In recent years, intelligent sensor techniques have achieved significant
attention in agriculture. It is applied in agriculture to plan the several
activities and missions properly by utilising limited resources with minor
human interference. Currently, plant cultivation using new agriculture
methods is very popular among the growers. However, the aeroponics is one
of the methods of modern agriculture, which is commonly practiced around
the world. In the system, plant cultivates under complete control conditions in
the growth chamber by providing a small mist of the nutrient solution in
replacement of the soil. The nutrient mist is ejected through atomization
nozzles on a periodical basis. During the plant cultivation, several steps
including temperature, humidity, light intensity, water nutrient solution level,
pH and EC value, CO2 concentration, atomization time, and atomization
interval time require proper attention for flourishing plant growth. Therefore,
the object of this review study was to provide significant knowledge about
early fault detection and diagnosis in aeroponics using intelligent techniques
(wireless sensors). So, the farmer could monitor several paraments without
using laboratory instruments, and the farmer could control the entire system
remotely
 James J. and Maheshwar M. P., Plant growth monitoring system, with
dynamic user-interface, 2016 IEEE Region 10 Humanitarian Technology
Conference (R10-HTC), December 2016, Agra, India, 1–5,
 Taher Kahil M., Albiac J., Dinar A., Calvo E., Esteban E., Avella L.,
and Garcia-Molla M., Improving the performance of water policies: evidence
from drought in Spain, Water. (2016) 8, no. 2
 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1155/2018/8672769

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 Project Management and Finance

1.6.1 Cost Estimation

This project involves the cost of purchasing components and materials throughout its
implementation. components involving cost are hardware Arduino Uno R3, Water
Pump (12V Submersible), Timer Relay Module, Water Tubing (6mm), Power Supply
(12V DC), Breadboard & Jumper Wires, Soil Moisture Sensor.All these components
are purchased through online purchase methods to make it easier as well as save on
costs.
The overall gross budget estimate in the implementation of this project is RM
211.00 as shown in Table 1 According to this budget cost, this project can be
considered as a less costly project compared to other projects that can cost over a
thousand ringgit. The cost of the project is also in line with one of the key features of
a good project developer that is low cost but have a high-quality project.

Table 1: List of Components and Materials

No. Component and materials The unit Quantity Total
price
1 Water Pump (12V Submersible) RM20.00 1 RM 20.00
2 Timer Relay Module RM10.00 1 RM10.00
3 Water Tubing (6mm) RM 5.00 1 RM 5.00
4 Power Supply (12V DC) RM10.00 1 RM10.00
5 Breadboard & Jumper Wires RM 15.00 1 RM 15.00
6 Arduino Uno R3 RM 37.00 1 RM37.00
7 Soil Moisture Sensor RM 31 4 RM124
Total: RM 221.00

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1.6.2 Project Duration

MILESTONE
AUTOMATIC WATER PLANTING SYTEM

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 1.6.3 Project Usability

The Automatic Plant Watering System is designed to be easy to use and

understand, especially for small and medium-scale farmers. The system works
automatically, so users don’t need to control it all the time. Once it's set up, it will
water the plants based on soil moisture and time settings.

This system is suitable for farmers growing crops like chili, okra, and mustard
greens. It is simple to install and does not require much technical knowledge. Users
can easily learn how to use and maintain the system, making it practical and
convenient for everyday farming.

Methodology

1.7.1 Technical Resources

To complete the Automatic Plant Watering System, several technical resources are
needed. A PCB (Printed Circuit Board) making facility can help create a cleaner and
more organized circuit design. Basic hand tools such as soldering iron, wire cutter,
and multimeter are required to assemble and test the components. Circuit simulation
software like Proteus or Tinkercad can be used to test the circuit design before
building it. The Arduino IDE software is used to program the microcontroller.
Access to online tutorials and datasheets is also important to guide the development
process. If needed, 3D printing tools or simple casing materials can be used to build a
protective cover for the system.

1.7.2 Financial Resources

The total cost of developing the Automatic Plant Watering System is estimated to
be between RM100 to RM400, depending on the quality and quantity of the
components used. Major costs include the Arduino board, soil moisture sensor, water
pump, timer module, relay, power supply, wiring, and tubing. These items were
either purchased from local electronics stores or online platforms like Shopee and
Lazada. All expenses are kept within the project budget.

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 Conclusion and Recommendation

1.8.1 Conclusion

The Automatic Plant Watering System is a useful and simple solution to help
farmers water their plants more easily. It uses sensors and a timer to water the plants
automatically, based on the soil’s condition. This saves water, time, and energy while
making sure the plants grow well. The system is affordable, easy to use, and helpful
for small and medium farms. Overall, it makes farming easier and more efficient.

1.8.2 Recommendation

It’s recommended to add a mobile app for remote monitoring and to use solar panels
for energy savings. Adding more sensors, like temperature and humidity sensors,
could make the system smarter. Also, make sure the components are waterproof for
better durability outdoors.

1.8.3 Benefit to Organization /Society/Nation/Others

This project helps farmers and workers by saving time, water, and energy. It makes
farming easier and more efficient. For society, it supports smart farming and reduces
water waste. For the nation, it helps improve food production and supports
sustainable agriculture.

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REFERENCES

Hilmani, A., Maizate, A., & Hassouni, L. (2018). Designing and

Managing a Smart Parking System Using Wireless Sensor Networks.
Journal of Sensor and Actuator Work, 1-20.

Yee, H. C., & Yusnita Rahayu. (2014). Monitoring Parking Space

Availability via Zigbee Technology. International Journal of Future
Computer and Communication, 377-380.

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