CoPilot
      Back to home
      1. Growlink Knowledgebase
      2. Growlink Portal & App information
      3. CoPilot

      Growlink Copilot Crop Steering Guide

      This guide will walk you through program creation, explain all features, and ensure you are using program to its full potential.

      Table of Contents

       

      1. Creating a new Irrigation Program
        1. Simple timer creation
          1. Simple Timer Creation Wizard
            1. Step 1: Information
            2. Step 2: Schedule
        2. Copilot Program creation
          1. Copilot Creation Wizard
            1. Step 1: Information
            2. Step 2: Schedule
            3. Step 3: Targets
            4. Step 4: Review
      2. Utilizing the Irrigation Dashboard
        1. Understanding Irrigation timeline
        2. Using quick edit functionality
        3. Enabling/Disabling/Deleting Timer
        4. Viewing program change history
        5. Creating a new Irrigation Program

      3. Managing Active Programs
        1. Simple Timer Wizard
        2. Copilot Program Wizard
          1. Information
          2. Schedule
          3. Targets
          4. Suggestions
        3. Exiting the Wizard

       

       

      1. Creating a new Irrigation Program

        1. Simple Timer Creation

          1. Simple Timer Creation Wizard
            • In order to create a new Irrigation Program, first click on the 'Irrigation' Tab. Once in the Irrigation tab, click the blue 'Add New' button. Two options will appear: Copilot Program and Simple Timer.
            • Clicking Copilot Program will take you to the Crop Steering Setup Wizard, whereas clicking Simple Timer will take you to the Simple Timer Setup Wizard. Lets begin by selecting Simple Timer.

          • Step 1: Information

            • When you start the Simple Timer creation wizard, Step 1 takes you to the Information Tab. Here, you provide a few key details about your grow to calculate the total volume used. These settings will be remembered for all future programs.
            • To begin, give your Timer Program a name and specify the type of substrate. Then, choose the substrate sensor from which you want to gather relevant substrate data (if applicable) and select the valve you want to open. Finally, enter the specific dripper flow (gph) of the dripper type you are using along with the total numbers of  drippers in your irrigaiton zone. If you are using a Growlink Fertigation skid and want to use direct injection, you can also select the dosing recipe.
            • Once you have filled in all the necessary information, click the blue 'Next' button to proceed to Step 2.

          • Step 2: Schedule

            • When you reach Step 2 of the Simple timer creation wizard, you will be directed to the Schedule Tab. Here, you will find a detailed overview of your individual timers, as well as a visually appealing graph showcasing your substrate data.

            • Difference Between Recycle Timer and One-Off Timer
              • A recycle timer is a timer sequence that repeats itself multiple times, while a One-Off timer only occurs once. If you edit the frequency of a timer to a value greater than 1, it will automatically convert the One-Off timer into a Recycle Timer.

            • Adding a New Timer to an Existing 'Simple Timer' Program
              • To add a new timer to an existing Simple Timer program, click the "Create new timer' button.

            • Enabling/Disabling a Specific Timer
              • To enable or disable a specific timer, simply click on the toggle button next to the timer you want to activate or deactivate.

            • Deleting a Specific Timer
              • To delete a specific timer, simply click on the red trash can icon next to the timer you want to remove.

            • Saving New Simple Timer Program
              • To save the new simple timer program, simply click the blue 'Confirm' at the bottom of the screen.


       

      Copilot Program Creation

      A CoPilot Cropsteering Program is a timer-based Cropsteering approach that makes suggestions for future irrigation cycle's irrigation events using the previous irrigation cycle's substrate sensor and paired device activity in order to achieve the targets specified in the CoPilot Program. An AutoPilot Program automatically accepts the suggestions made by CoPilot. The steps below go over how to create a CoPilot Program within Portal 2.0:

        1. Copilot Program Creation Wizard
            • Now lets walk through the Crop Steering Program creation by selecting 'Copilot Program'.

            • Step 1 : Information

              • In Step 1 of the Copilot wizard, just like the Simple Timer setup, you will be taken to the Information Tab. Here, you can provide the necessary details about your grow to pre-populate Target set points and receive smart suggestions.

                • To begin, enter a name for your Copilot Program and specify your substrate type. Then, choose the substrate sensor that will provide relevant substrate data and select the specific valve(s) you want to open.

                • Next, select your preferred steering strategy. This field determines the target values that will be pre-filled when creating the program. Enter the specific emitter/dripper flow (gph) of the emitter/dripper type you are using along with the total numbers of  emitters/drippers in your irrigaiton zone. If you are using a Growlink Fertigation skid and want to utilize direct injection, you can select the dosing recipe.

                • The Lights On/Off times should be pre-populated, but you can edit them if needed.

                • Finally, decide whether you want to receive alerts regarding your CoPilot Program by toggling the 'Send Alerts' button. If you choose to receive alerts, you can enter the email address(es) where you want to be notified. These alerts notify you of suggestions made, if a notable change is made to the current configuration of the CoPilot Program that results in a notable change in calculated water consumption, and if the sensor associated with the program falls beneath the desired overnight dryback specified within the program.

                • In the Information Tab, there is an AutoPilot toggle that determines if the program is a CoPilot or AutoPilot Program. Having this toggle activated designates the program as an AutoPilot Program, and having this toggle disabled designates the program to be a CoPilot Program.

                • Once you have entered all the necessary information, click the blue 'Next' button to proceed to Step 2.


            • Step 2: Schedule

              • In Step 2 of the Copilot wizard, you will be taken to the Schedule Dashboard. Here, you will find an interactive graph that accurately represents your charts based on the timer schedule you set up and an estimate of the amount of water that will be utilized in an irrigation cycle with the current timers that are setup, displayed in both milliliters and gallons per day. Please note that initially, the graph will display generic data until a full 24-hour cycle has been completed and real sensor data can be collected.
              • The timers are divided into three categories: P1 Ramp Up (Phase 1), P2 Maintenance (Phase 2), and Flush.
                • The P1 category has four input fields:
                  • - Start Time - The specific time you want your Ramp Up to begin.
                  • - Duration - The length of each irrigation event during Ramp Up.
                  • - Interval - The length of time between each irrigation event during Ramp Up.
                  • - Frequency - The number of times an irrigation event will occur during Ramp Up.
                • These fields will be pre-populated based on the information you entered in the Information tab, but you are free to edit them or enable/disable the entire sequence if desired.


                • The P2 category has three input fields:
                  • - Duration - The length of each irrigation event during Maintenance.
                  • - Interval - The length of time between each irrigation event during Maintenance.
                  • - Frequency - The number of times an irrigation event will occur during Maintenance.
                • Again, these fields will come pre-populated based on the information you entered, but you can edit them or enable/disable the sequence.


                • The Flush category has only one input field:
                  • - Duration - The length of the Flush irrigation event.
                • By default, this field will be disabled until it is deemed necessary, either by you or Copilot suggestions.

              • As you make changes to the data fields, the interactive graph above will update to reflect those changes.

              • To the right of the Timer values, you will find a summary of each timer that will be created.

              • Helpful tool tips will be displayed on the far right side of the page, providing pertinent information related to the field you are currently selecting.

              • Once you are satisfied with the Schedule page, you can move on to Step 3 by clicking the blue 'Next' button. If you do not wish to make any changes from the default selected values, you can simply skip to the final creation review page by selecting 'Next' without making changes.

              • Step 3: Targets

                • In Step 3 of the Copilot wizard, you will be taken to the Targets dashboard. This is where you can set your Crop Steering target set point goals. These targets will be used by the AI Copilot program to compare with the actual sensor data and provide informed suggestions. Similar to the previous step, any changes made on this page will be reflected on the interactive graph.
                • Within the Targets dashboard, one can select a preference of Absolute VWC or Relative VWC% as your default choice. An Absolute VWC target is a fixed VWC rise or dryback that you would like to achieve, regardless of the field capacity of the substrate. A Relative VWC target is a percentage of the field capacity, so your rise in VWC or dryback will scale with respect to the field capacity set in the program.
                • Target Setpoints are broken up into 4 categories:
                  • P0 (Phase 0)
                    • Additional Dry Back % - Enter the percentage dry back you would like to target between when your lights turn on and your first irrigation event.
                  • P1 (Phase 1)
                    • Ramp Up Shot % - Enter the percentage rise in VWC you would like to target with every irrigation event during your P1 phase.
                    • Ramp Up Shot Dry Back % - Enter the percentage dry back you would like to target between irrigation events during your P1 phase.
                    • Field Capacity WC% - Enter the field capacity or the percentage at which your substrate is saturated. This displays as a green dotted line on the graph visualized within the CoPilot Wizard.
                  • P2 (Phase 2)
                    • Maintenance Dry Back % - Enter the percentage dry back you would like to target with every irrigation event during your P2 phase. The dryback % will equal the shot size during this phase in order to maintain targeted field capacity.
                  • P3 (Phase 3)
                    • Overnight Dry Back % - Enter the percentage dry back you would like to target between your final irrigation event and when your lights turn back on at the start of the next cycle.
                    • Target Substrate EC - Enter the maximum EC you would like to target for the length of your crop steering cycle.

                • If you are satisfied with the targets you have set, you can proceed to Step 4 by clicking the blue 'Next' button. If you don't wish to make any changes to the default values, you can simply skip to the final review page by selecting 'Next' without making any changes.

              • Step 4: Review

              •  

                • The final step of the Copilot wizard is to review all the data you have entered in the previous steps to ensure its accuracy before creating the program. On this page, you will see a summary of the information you entered in the Information tab, along with a breakdown of each timer event that will be created. At this point, you have the option to go back to previous steps and make changes if needed, or you can proceed with the program creation by clicking the blue 'Review and Create' button.


        1. Utilizing the Irrigation Dashboard

          1. Understanding Irrigation timeline

            1. The irrigation timeline located at the top of the Irrigation homepage provides a visual representation of all active irrigation programs within a 24-hour period. This feature is particularly helpful for determining if there will be any overlap between valves.

          2. Using quick edit functionality

            1. Editing an existing simple timer
              • To edit an existing Simple Timer Program:
                1. Select the Drop Down arrow of the program you wish to edit
                2. Input desired changes
                3. Click 'Save Changes' in top right to save or click the 'X' to discard


              • Difference between Recycle Timer and One-Off Timer
                • A recycle timer is a timer sequence that repeats itself multiple times, while a One-Off timer only occurs once. If you edit the frequency of a timer to a value greater than 1, it will automatically convert the One-Off timer into a Recycle Timer.


              • Adding a new timer to an existing 'Simple timer' Program
                • To add a new timer to an existing Simple Timer program, click the "Create new timer' button.

            1. Editing an existing Copilot Program
              • To edit an existing Copilot Program:
                1. Select the Drop Down arrow of the program you wish to edit
                2. Input desired changes
                3. Click 'Save Changes' in top right to save or click the 'X' to discard

              • Suggestions Shortcut
                • If you see a pulsing green 'View Suggestions' button next to a Copilot program, it means that there are new Copilot suggestions ready for your review. By clicking on the button, you will be taken directly to the suggestions page for that program.


          1. Enabling/Disabling/Deleting Timer Program

            1. Enabling/Disabling
              • Entire Timer Program
                1. To enable or disable an entire Timer Program, simply click the toggle button located under the 'Active' column when viewing the Program list.
                2. Press 'Save Changes'

              • Specific component of timer program
                1. Click on the dropdown arrow next to the program you want to modify.
                2. To enable or disable a specific timer, simply click on the toggle button next to the timer you want to activate or deactivate.
                3. Press 'Save Changes'

            1. Deleting
              • Entire Timer Program
                1. Click on the red trash can icon located to the right of the program header.
                2. Press 'Confirm Deletion'

              • Specific timer inside of Simple Program
                1. Click on the drop-down arrow next to the program you want to modify.
                2. To delete a specific timer, simply click on the red trash can icon next to the timer you want to remove.
                3. Press 'Save changes'

          1. Viewing program change history

            1. To view the program change history, simply click on the clock icon located to the right of the program header.

          2. Creating a new Irrigation Program

            1. For a breakdown of how to create a new irrigation program please reference the Program creation section of this guide by clicking here: Program Creation

        2. Actively Managing Programs

          • To actively manage a program through its dedicated dashboard, click on the pencil icon located on the right side of the program header. By doing so, you will be directed to the schedule page by default. However, once inside, you have the freedom to navigate through the entire dashboard and access all its features.


            • Simple Timer
              • Information
                • To modify the data fields in the Information Tab, just click on the 'Information' tab located at the top of the Dashboard. After making your desired changes, you have two options: either click on the blue 'Apply Changes' button at the bottom of the page to save your edits or navigate to a different tab to make further modifications before saving.

              • Schedule
                • The schedule tab is where you can find and adjust all the Timer settings for your irrigation program. Additionally, it offers a visual representation of your substrate data from the past 24 hours through an interactive graph. From this page, you have the ability to add, modify, enable/disable, and delete timers as needed.

            • Copilot Program
              • Information
                • To modify the data fields in the Information Tab, just click on the 'Information' tab located at the top of the Dashboard. After making your desired changes, you have two options: either click on the blue 'Apply Changes' button at the bottom of the page to save your edits or navigate to a different tab to make further modifications before saving.

              • Schedule
                • The schedule tab contains all the Timer settings and provides a fully interactive graphical interface. The interactive graph displayed on this tab accurately represents the appearance of your charts based on the timer schedule set up below. It also has the capability to display your substrate data from the previous 24 hours.
                  • Real time graphical changes
                    • When you click on an input field, the interactive graph will highlight the corresponding section. This feature helps you easily identify and understand the area you are editing on the graph.

                    • When you make changes to a field, the graph will automatically update to show those changes.

                  • Current substrate sensor data
                    • To display current substrate sensor data on the interactive graph, simply press the corresponding button at the bottom of the graph.
                    • You can view specific data points by simply hovering over the desired point on the graph. This allows you to easily access and analyze the information you want to see.

                  • After you have finished making edits, you have two options: you can click on the blue 'Apply Changes' button at the bottom of the page to save your edits, or you can navigate to a different tab to make further modifications before saving.

                  • For a breakdown of each data field, please reference the Program creation section of this guide by clicking here: Data Fields
                  • For a breakdown of the timer summary please reference the Program creation section of this guide by clicking here: Timer Summary
                  • For a breakdown of the Tool tips section please reference the Program creation section of this guide by clicking here: Tool Tips

              • Targets
                • The Targets dashboard is where you can set your Crop Steering target set point goals. These goals will be used by the AI Copilot program to compare with your actual sensor data and provide informed suggestions. Similar to the Schedule Tab, any changes you make on this page will be reflected on the interactive graph.
                  • Real time graphical changes
                    • When you click on an input field, the interactive graph will automatically highlight the corresponding section. This feature allows you to easily identify and understand the area you are editing on the graph, providing you with a clear visual representation of the changes you are making.

                    • After making changes to a field, the graph will automatically update to show the modifications you have made.

                  • Current substrate sensor data
                    • To view the current data from the substrate sensor on the interactive graph, just click on the button located at the top of the graph that corresponds to it.
                    • You can easily view specific data points by hovering over the desired point on the graph. This allows you to conveniently access and analyze the information you want to see.

                  • After you have finished making edits, you have two options: you can click on the blue 'Apply Changes' button at the bottom of the page to save your edits, or you can navigate to a different tab to make further modifications before saving.

                  • For a breakdown of each data field, please reference the Program creation section of this guide by clicking here: Data Field
                  • For a breakdown of the timer summary please reference the Program creation section of this guide by clicking here: Timer Summary
                  • For a breakdown of the Tool tips section please reference the Program creation section of this guide by clicking here: Tool Tips

              • Suggestions
                • The Suggestions dashboard is where you can view the daily recommendations provided by the AI Copilot program. These suggestions can be previewed on the interactive graph, allowing you to easily see and evaluate the recommended changes. The Suggestions generated from CoPilot are generated halfway through the Lights Off window specified in the current irrigation program.
                  • Prioritizing Suggestions
                    • P1 Start Time - Prioritizing your P1 Start Time tells Copilot that you want to make sure that your irrigation events start at a particular time everyday regardless of whether or not the VWC% has dropped to your Additional Dry Back target.
                    • P1 Starting VWC% - Prioritizing your P1 Start VWC tells Copilot that you want to make sure that your irrigation events start only once you've achieved your Additional Dry Back. Note: This will modify your irrigation start time every day.
                    • Choose your preferred suggestion by selecting from the dropdown menu.

                  • Previewing changes
                    • You can preview the suggested changes by clicking on the 'Preview' button located in the top right corner, below the graph. This allows you to see a preview of the recommended changes before applying them.

                  • Applying/Ignoring Suggestions
                    • You have the option to either apply or ignore the suggestions by clicking on the blue 'Apply Changes' button or the grey 'Ignore Suggestions' button.

                  • Current substrate sensor data
                    • To view the real-time data from the substrate sensor on the interactive graph, all you have to do is click on the button at the top of the graph that corresponds to it.
                    • You can easily view specific data points by hovering over the desired point on the graph. This allows you to conveniently access and analyze the information you want to see.

        2. Exiting the wizard

          • You can exit the wizard at any time by selecting 'Close Wizard' in the upper right corner.