Which agriculture robot to choose? Your way of farming is unique.
With more and more agriculture robots coming available, the step to get such a robot on your farm becomes easier. How to find the agriculture robot that fits your need?
At ducksize you can search on the same robots, from a the perspective of your need: For a certain crop, for a certain activity or a multi-purpose tractor. Also background and field experience articles are available. Get inspired and reach out on any question!
See robots listed per task
If you're trying to choose the right type of robot for your needs, it can helps to take a task-oriented approach. Here's which groups might be best suited:
Robot overview per crop
There are a variety of agriculture robots that work with different crops or with a specific. Click below on the crop, so you can find the agriculture robots that can help in your crop:
Multi-purpose robots
...to replace a tractor basically. A selection of robots can be compared to tractors in some ways. Also several tractor can be converted into robots! See below.
(Robot with less than 100 hp)
(Robot with more than 100 hp)
Agriculture robots presented already years ago on FIRA, is what you see driving in the field today. Get inspired ... Watch the one-minute-impression of FIRA here on the ducksize YouTube-channel.
AgXeed and HSS
AgXeed and HSS launched this robot to drive in between the fruit trees. Watch here the Agxeed HSS robot driving between apple trees on YouTube.
When to consider agriculture robots?
If you're wondering how to get your farm more sustainable and future proof, you may consider agriculture robots. There are many options available with different maturity levels for agriculture robots that can help take care of all sorts of jobs around a farm like weeding and tillage. It's important when choosing which option is right for your needs that you know what type best suits the variety of crops in question as well as power source. All different options of an agriculture robot drastically change performance!
The definition of an agriculture robot?
Here, at ducksize.com, an agriculture robot is a machine that helps the cultivation of crops on a farm, with a high degree of autonomous operation. In other words, using an agriculture robot the farmer is able to do the execute the same task on the field with less manual work.
Saving labour costs can therefore also be a key driver. But other benefits may even be of even more direct importance.
About the impact and drivers of agriculture robots, read more here.
How to find your way at ducksize.com?
The website of ducksize contains three different sections on the content of agriculture robots:
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"Search for robots" - Find the agriculture robot that can work for you. You can do this by clicking on the buttons above. You can select a crop, an activity or a tractor where you'd like the robot to help you on.
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"About agriculture robots" - Learn about the impact of agriculture robots, by having a look at the background articles on agriculture robots and the impact of these machines. You can also click here.
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"Field experience with robots" - Read articles how agriculture robot perform in practice field. You will find this on the menu bar on top of this page, or just click here.
Additionally, at the bottom of the page you will find a footer with a summary of links and on the bottom-right side you can find more information about ducksize and how to get in contact.
About who made this website and why, read more here.
Self-driving tractor: Teach it how to drive
It looks so easy .... and that's where this self-driving tractor may be spot-on. They way to teaching teach the tractor what to do is by giving the example. So, the first run of performing a task in the field will be done by you on manual steering and the system records this. The next time, you don't have to drive the tractor anymore since it can be self-steering by repeating exactly what you've done the before.
The system used to create this self-driving (also called 'autonomous') tractor is GOtrack. GOtrack is a new invention that turns an agricultural tractor into one capable of driving autonomously. Rather than having to steer manually, the driver simply needs to press start on the remote control or smartphone. While now the tractor with GOtrack does all the work, it will make time available for you to do other things or run a second tractor on the same field. The system's sensors are able not only keep track of where it's going but also its orientation as well (RTK-GPS, lidar, bumper, ,...) - meaning no matter what happens in front of the tractor, your trusty autonomous tractor is expected to take care!
Robotti sows 100.000 beets per hour
Operated by Doorgrond, the Robotti Agrointelli made it's first and successful run in The Netherlands. But it's not only a love story, to teach the Agrointelli Robotti how to sow sugar beets autonomously.
An impressive combination: the Robotti Agrointelli with Kverneland's Optima seeding machine. The machine is started by uploading task information from an USB stick to the robot, and it goes on its way while you need some time getting used to not intervening - but that's only part of what makes this such a compelling package!
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Optimized routing means no more wasting time (capacity) and fuel driving back and forth;
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Seed-check reveals any issues so they can be addressed before sowing, or will suggest redo if appropriate in order for seeds to get down properly into soil (continuous drive).
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Continuous drive is giving a new dimension to capacity. While a driver may need not have a lot of breaks during the seeding season, still all together it's adding up to a relevant capacity impact.
Impact of agriculture robots
Executing work by robots is ongoing on many places. Simply think of a biscuit that you eat, 99% sure it's made by machines. Technical evolution and radical innovations are enabling robot development for agriculture.
The key impact and drivers for agriculture robots are:
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Save labour costs
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Reduce soil compaction
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Reduction of use of chemicals
Robots are now in the process of being developed into a new type of machine that will make farming 'easier'. Farmers who would ordinarily use their hands (also on a tractor) to complete this task can instead focus on doing something else, such as managing other aspects of agriculture or focusing more time and attention on developing newer innovations for robots!