Improving the Accuracy of Air Temperature Monitoring for Automated Tasks in Agriculture Using Affordable Meteorological Equipment

This study examines methods for improving air temperature measurement accuracy in agriculture using affordable meteorological equipment. Experimental results demonstrate that non-aspirated radiation shields introduce systematic measurement errors of up to 3 °C during daylight hours due to solar radiation heating. Two error mitigation approaches were evaluated: an aspirated shield system and a mathematical correction algorithm based on solar radiation intensity and wind speed measurements. The developed correction model, incorporating radiation shield geometry and heat transfer dynamics, reduced measurement deviations to 0.5–0.6 °C. The comparative analysis of data collected at Sevastopol meteorological station (June–August 2023) revealed a superior performance of the mathematical correction method (RMSE 0.17 °C, KGE 0.993) compared to the aspirated shield solution. The proposed correction algorithm achieves measurement accuracy within World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) standards without additional mechanical components that compromise system reliability. These findings facilitate the development of cost-effective distributed meteorological monitoring networks applicable to precision agriculture operations.