Nowadays, modern agriculture is experiencing a technological revolution. The management and method of growing plants is changing dramatically. It is becoming more and more obvious that we can imagine growing plants using autonomous robots that detect pests themselves, neutralize them and optimize all work with extraordinary accuracy. We implement the above vision of agriculture using the Agriculture Operational Robotic Platform (AORP). This article explores how these innovations can change the day-to-day work for the farmers in the whole world.
Imagine a robot moving smoothly through fields with its own navigation system, sowing seeds, removing weeds and monitoring crop condition - that's AORP. It’s not just an appliance. It is a smart farming companion equipped with state-of-the-art technology. This is what the revolution in growing food plants looks like. AORP's is equipped with four independent wheels. They allow to perform intricate maneuvers, ensuring every inch of the field is covered. It's efficient and environmentally friendly thanks to a diesel engine. With 88 hours of continuous operation on a single tank, AORP is ready for long-term tasks. AORP is also equipped with advanced sensors and cameras, so it’s able to operate autonomously. Constant supervision is not necessary - it can navigate, avoid obstacles and perform tasks precisely ensuring your crops receive optimal care.
Figure 1: A set of components and sensors implemented on the AORP platform
AORP's capabilities will be further improved by integrating with ICOS - the Intelligent Cloud Operating System. You can compare it to the brain that connects AORP to the digital world. It makes farming easier and more efficient than ever.
Worried about breakdowns? ICOS will make it stop. It will store data from all AORP's sensors (including cameras), predict maintenance needs and send signals back to keep everything running smoothly. This mechanism can be classified as a virtual farm mechanic on standby.
After you start using AORP integrated with ICOS, you can say goodbye to pesky weeds! The robot creates a weed map during its first pass through the fields. This data can then be used for precise treatment, ensuring your crops get the attention they need, minimizing the use of chemicals.
Do you think the AORP will be just a robot? That’s not true, it is going to be a learning machine. Using ICOS, it will send its data to the cloud, where machine learning models will be trained and improved. Finally the AORP will become smarter with each new task, adapting to unexpected challenges and making your farm operations more efficient.
Figure 2: ICOS connectivity environment for AORP
The future of farming is here, and its name is AORP with the support of ICOS. The era of farms with robots working tirelessly has come. It will help crops grow and give farmers more time to focus on other tasks. This is a new world of farming with AORP and ICOS. It transforms the way we farm, bringing efficiency, sustainability, and innovation to fields around the world. Get ready to enter the new era in agriculture!
This project has received funding from the European Union’s HORIZON research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101070177.