Agricultural robotics involves using robot systems in large indoor or outdoor domains that are semi-unstructured to unstructured. In World Robotics Services Robots, agricultural robotics covers cultivation, milking, other types of animal husbandry, and agricultural robotics. Agriculture robotics is a major field of robotics research and entrepreneurial activity, as shown by significant research centers, research and business networks, and other resources.
Robot types include the areas of:
- Crop farming, horticulture (specifically vegetable/fruit cultivation), and all related tasks, such as management, crop protection, and harvesting.
- Livestock management to ease the workload of livestock farmers, especially in milking cows, herding, and barn management.
- Forestry and silviculture for cultivation, management, and harvesting. However, apart from the further automation of existing harvesters and the increased use of drones, there has been little activity in forest management.
Cultivation
Cultivation Agriculture robots have gained a lot of attention in recent years, especially in autonomous ground-based vehicles to improve the automation of crop farming, as well as all branches of horticulture, such as vegetable and fruit growing, floriculture, and tree nurseries, both in greenhouses and in the field. In addition, the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for inspection, surveillance, mapping, and aerial-based precision farming has shown promising results. Economic demands, shortages of skilled farm labor in agricultural regions, food and fiber needs of a growing world population, and strict (political) standards will continue to drive the commercial demand for agriculture robots. Innovations in robotics and digitalization rely on advanced and affordable technologies such as a wide variety of sensors for various applications, related electronics, and communication systems. Robotics play a key role in the main challenges of future agriculture:
Precision farming is a farming management concept that focuses on each plant for individual treatment
Interoperability of new robotic systems and conventional agricultural machines
Sensors that measure all relevant parameters needed for autonomous crop management (e.g., fast, reliable real-time detection of nutrients in the soil with high resolution)
Automation of complex applications, e.g., fruit and vegetable harvest
Establishing mixed cropping systems, or intercropping, to increase biodiversity and yield through digital and robotic solutions
Automation and digitalization in agriculture today mainly mean farm management and telemetry. Established companies, such as BASF and Claas developed the systems Xarvio and 365Farmnet, respectively focusing on data management support for farmers. A state-of-the-art review is shown in the series by “American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers” (ASABE).
Types of operations carried out by the robots
Agricultural robots have revolutionized the agricultural industry by performing a variety of operations in semi-structured environments. Greenhouses, for instance, offer controlled climate, light, and soil conditions, which make it easier for robotic solutions to thrive. On the other hand, open fields present a unique set of challenges, including light and climate conditions. Orchards, with their steep slopes and partly unstructured context, present the most complex environment to navigate.
There are several types of agricultural robots, each with a specific function.
- Firstly, we have precision agriculture robots, which are mostly used in small farms or vineyards. These robots are designed to carry out a wide range of activities, including monitoring soil and crops, collecting data and applying precise crop protection measures. They play a critical role in promoting precision agriculture techniques.
- Secondly, we have robots specifically designed for weed control. These autonomous robots are best suited for non-chemical weed elimination tasks such as mechanical, hot water, or torch weeding. They are also useful in delivering targeted sprays of herbicides, which is an essential step in promoting sustainable agriculture.
- In the nursery automation field, robots are also instrumental in facilitating the movement of plants around large greenhouses, thereby increasing efficiency and addressing the shortage in the labor force. They can also operate round the clock to enhance efficiency during the harvesting season.
- Other advanced manipulators useful in the agricultural sector include those with high maneuverability and sensitivity. Intelligent vision systems for crop and fruit identification also play a key role in optimizing the harvesting process.
- Lastly, emerging applications in agriculture include the use of field robots equipped with 3D-vision systems, which can accurately plant and seed crops for optimal growth.
Agricultural automation has been gaining significant popularity in recent years, with small-scale robots being the most commonly used type of machinery in this field. These robots serve various purposes including weed removal, as well as functioning as versatile platforms for multiple applications, tool carriers, sensor platforms, and pickers.
In addition, specialized machines such as sprayers and weeding machines, are widely utilized on fields, especially for crops such as asparagus and hops. The development of these specialized machines has been made possible by tremendous research into the functionality, robustness, and cost-effectiveness of robotic systems in agriculture. Researchers around the world are committed to advancing automated machinery and finding ways to solve complex problems that arise in agricultural automation.
To this end, the IEEE Technical Committee on Agricultural Robotics and Automation maintains a detailed state-of-the-art assessment site in the field of agricultural robotics, which highlights the potential of such technology in revolutionizing the agriculture industry. Furthermore, a surge in international events, research initiatives, and competitions related to agricultural automation is also indicative of the growing interest in robotics in this sector, with countries like Australia, the USA, Europe, and Japan taking the lead in this field.
Apart from the use of ground-based robots, drones have emerged as a novel technology with the potential to revolutionize the process of agricultural automation. Drones are being used and evaluated in research projects for various purposes such as soil and field analysis, surveying, aerial seeding, crop spraying, irrigation, and plant health assessment. Moreover, there is a possibility of drones autonomously working together in swarms to tackle complex tasks collectively, and even supporting ground-based robots by providing vital data and information.
Level of distribution of agriculture robots
The use of autonomous agricultural robots is becoming increasingly widespread in many countries around the world, such as Europe, Australia, Japan, and the USA. These robots are equipped with advanced systems for autonomous guidance, including global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), optical sensors like Light detection and ranging LiDAR, as well as RGB-D depth cameras and on-board computers. By using these technologies, these machines can accurately follow the boundary of the previous furrow or generate movements that are synchronized with other mobile machines in order to transfer crops.
One of the greatest benefits of using these machines is the potential to reduce the workload on human laborers. Continuously operating and autonomously guided machines can take on many time-consuming and physically demanding tasks in field operations, allowing workers to focus on more complex or higher-value work.
Many leading agricultural machine manufacturers are already incorporating guidance assistants into their machines, and this trend is likely to continue as the use of autonomous technology becomes more widespread. These included advanced features such as auto-steering, precision guidance, and advanced mapping capabilities.
Overall, the adoption of autonomous agricultural robots represents a major shift in the way that agricultural work is approached around the world. By embracing this technology, countries can potentially boost both the efficiency and productivity of their farming operations, while also improving the working conditions for laborers. As the market for these machines continues to grow, it is likely that we will see even more advanced applications of autonomous technology emerge in the agricultural sector in the years ahead.
Robotic transformation of conventional agricultural machines
The agricultural industry is undergoing a significant transformation with the development of robotic technology. Precise real-time kinematic (RTK) GNSS systems have revolutionized the way we approach farming by improving localization in the field with centimeter-level accuracy. The combination of RTK technology and sensor-based crop detection have opened up new opportunities for automated processes such as sowing, weeding, spraying, and harvesting.
All major agricultural machinery manufacturers have jumped on the bandwagon with the creation of autonomous tractors. These driverless tractors are helping farmers to carry out a host of tasks with higher precision and reliability. The Case IH Magnum Series’ Autonomous Concept Vehicle, John Deere’s Autonomous Electric Tractor, Yanmar’s Robot Tractor, the Fendt ProbotIQ Xpert, and New Holland’s NH Drive concept, are some of the most popular autonomous tractor designs. The Autonomous Tractor Corporation also has made significant contributions in this field.
In addition to full-scale autonomous tractors, several driver assistance systems have been developed as technology add-ons for tractors. These systems enable intelligent assistance and partially autonomous functions for agricultural machinery. For instance, Robot Makers GmbH developed a driver assistance system that acts as an add-on to tractors. It provides farmers with intelligent assistance and partially autonomous features to increase production efficiency.
However, despite the incredible advancements in technology, there are still challenges that must be overcome before autonomous tractors can be effectively utilized. The safety of human-machine and animal-machine interactions, in addition to the challenges of environmental perception, requires extensive testing and research. Governments also need to formulate guidelines and regulations to ensure safety and compliance standards are met.
Arable farming and weeding
Agriculture has undergone a significant transformation in recent years due to the integration of robotics into farming practices. With the increasing global population, more extensive food production is necessary, and robotics has become a game-changer. One of the most labor-intensive farming tasks, weeding, is now being performed by robots due to its time-consuming and tedious nature.
Several small-scale robots have been developed to perform weeding tasks, such as the modular omnidirectional BoniRob by Deepfield Robotics. Bosch-owned start-up, BoniRob, is equipped with localization sensors, including GNSS and LiDAR measurements, and has an effective weed control manipulator that pokes weeds in the ground. The device's effectiveness rate is estimated at 80%, making it an essential resource for farming activities. Other agricultural tech companies, such as AgroIntelli, ecoRobotix, and Saga Robotics, are developing concepts and prototypes for weeding and crop protection.
Smart fertilizing is another vital farm task that is now automated with mobile robots. ROWBOT, a concept of smart farming, has introduced precise fertilizing in cornfields. In contrast, The Australian Centre of Field Robotics's lightweight, omnidirectional, and solar-powered field robot, LadyBird, has sensors for weed detection, navigation, software components, communication devices, and manipulators for harvesting. These robots are developed to support precision farming techniques that minimize crop damage and improve crop yield.
Software tools are another vital development in agriculture automation. Octinion and Autonomous Solutions Inc. have introduced the first software products for the automation of conventional agricultural machines. With automation software, conventional machines can perform many operational activities effectively and accurately.
Nurseries and greenhouses have also felt the impact of robotics as robots have taken up pick-and-place procedures, a time-consuming and cumbersome task usually performed by human staff. Harvest Automation wheeled robot is a small, effective device that uses local sensing to navigate, identify pots, and measure and maintain a correct distance between them.
Fruit and vegetable picking
Fruit and vegetable picking form a crucial component of the agriculture industry, and making the process faster and easier has always been a top priority for farmers. To that end, extensive research and development efforts have been underway to design robots that can detect and pick fruits and vegetables with high success rates. However, despite significant advancements in the field, automated picking is still an area in which human workers outperform machines.
A recent state-of-the-art assessment of fruit picking robots' effectiveness revealed that, on average, localization success rates were about 85%, detachment success rates were about 75%, and harvesting success rates were about 66%. While these are impressive figures, there remains room for improvement, particularly when it comes to ensuring that fruits are not damaged during the picking process. Research has shown that fruit damage amounts to about 5%, while damage to the peduncle (the part of the plant that attaches the fruit) can be as high as 45% in some cases.
One of the biggest challenges in automating fruit picking is the need to ensure that fruits are picked carefully and without causing damage. For soft fruits, such as strawberries, this is an especially pressing issue. One way to address the problem is to pre-structure the trees or shrubs to make detection and picking easier. Companies such as Shibuya Harvesting, Harvest Croo, and Octinion are already implementing such strategies to improve their fruit picking robots' effectiveness for strawberries.
Several companies are already producing fruit picking robots for use in agriculture. DBR Conveyor Concepts and Abundant Robotics, for example, offer robots for apple picking, while Energid specializes in robots for picking citrus fruits. Robotics Plus technologies, on the other hand, produces robots for picking kiwis and apples. These robots are designed to help farmers reduce labor costs and increase productivity, making them a valuable asset in the agriculture industry.
Another area where robots are increasingly being used in agriculture is crop monitoring and protection. Using drones, farmers can keep an eye on crop health, detect diseases early on, and apply herbicides and pesticides more efficiently. Agras T16 by DJI, SenseFly Ag 360 by senseFly, and the Farmbird Mavic 2 Pro Hasselblad from Helm Software are among the drones developed specifically for agricultural applications.
Finally, indoor robots are becoming increasingly popular for greenhouse automation. Companies are focusing on autonomously guided vehicles for fruit and plant transport and crop protection, particularly in spraying. However, robots such as the Sweeper robot for greenhouse pepper harvesting and the Bogaerts spraying robot are commercially available and are proving to be effective in their respective applications.
Cost-benefit considerations and marketing challenges
Agriculture has always been a crucial aspect of human life. It caters to not only the food needs but employment opportunities as well. With rising population numbers, the need for food production has increased, and so has the pressure on farmers to produce more yield. However, with a limited workforce, farmers have to rely on technology for increasing productivity and yield. Hence, the emergence of agricultural robots in recent years has propelled the farming sector into the future.
One of the primary advantages of using agricultural robots is predictable plant growth for easy maintenance and harvesting. The cultivation and harvesting of vegetables such as cucumbers, peppers, and tomatoes have been made more manageable with the use of robots. For instance, the Kompano Deleaf-Line by Priva (the Netherlands) provides growers with an economically viable, fully automated alternative for the manual de-leafing of tomato crops.
In addition, with the rising demand for food production, the agricultural sector has witnessed an increase in the need for more workforce. However, the aging and decline of the farming population has led to a shortage of labor. Hence, farmers are embracing robots like the rice planting robot presented by the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO, Japan). This award-winning robot assists farmers by working autonomously to plant rice within a kit of programmed coordinates. This technology enables farmers to record the amount of fertilizer and pesticide used in each section of the field as rice grows, thereby ensuring food security and contributing to Japan's self-sufficiency in the field of food.
The traditional agriculture sector has always been labor-intensive, and with the shortage of labor, farmers are leaning towards technology to maintain efficiency and increase yield. Automation of greenhouses, for example, can ensure stability of workforce, production efficiency, and increased profits. However, despite numerous studies, few products have appeared in practice so far.
Apart from robotic harvesters or partially autonomous tractors or harvesters, drone technology has taken the agriculture sector by storm. The American Farm Bureau Federation and Informa Economics quantified the benefits of drone technology in various agricultural operations in 2016. The Return on Investment (ROI) Calculator™ can estimate the ROI for farmers of corn, soy, and wheat for drone applications such as crop scouting, 3D terrain mapping, and crop insurance. Drone as a service for crop scouting, for instance, has an ROI of USD12 per acre for corn, USD 2.60 per acre for soybeans, and USD 2.30 per acre for wheat.
The acquisition of agricultural robots may seem interesting only to early adopters due to a lack of added economic value. However, agricultural robots are a promising source of innovation in the primary sector, especially with rising labor costs and increasing food demands. With further automation in agriculture, the prospects for a bright future are inevitable.
The farming sector has come a long way and will continue to evolve with the development of innovative agricultural robot technology. In conclusion, agricultural robots are being seen as a key source of innovation in the primary sector, providing stability to labor costs and food supply. They are likely to become an integral part of the farming industry for many years to come.
In conclusion, agricultural robots have emerged as a key source of innovation in the primary sector due to their ability to reduce labor costs and increase food production. These advances are expected to bring much-needed efficiency to the current farming practices while helping ensure steady food supply. With further development and adoption of robotic technologies, the future of agriculture looks bright indeed. Meanwhile, farmers can benefit from the adoption of agricultural robots now, as they can experience increased efficiency and increased profits.