Fendt takes on swarm robotics project

Ag-machinery giant Fendt and the University of Ulm in Germany has joined forces to investigate a future in farming where swarms of robots are capable of carrying out farming tasks such as sowing with precision and accuracy.

The MARS project (Mobile Agricultural Robot Swarms) which commenced in May last year, focuses on satellite-supported sowing of maize by field robots.

With the assistance of a cloud-based solution, the robots can be controlled from anywhere using an app to carry out sowing operations.

Using the MARS app, a farm manager can select the desired field, seeds, seeding pattern and density as well as the number of robots from the available data. From there, an intelligent algorithm called OptiVisor plans the robot operations based on the parameters that have been entered and calculates the time required to complete the task.

As soon as the transport unit carrying the robots has been positioned, the robots can be ordered to commence work using the app. While they are working, the robots communicate with the cloud so that geo-coordinates for each seed location can be saved.

The OptiVisor algorithm helps to ensure the robots sow with utmost precision and accuracy. Information about seed placement is stored in the cloud and can be used for further tasks, such as applying fertilisers and harvesting.

Farm managers can monitor work progress live via the app, and if a robot stops working, its task is taken over immediately by other units.

Fendt says the use of swarm robotics in agriculture "promotes sustainable, economic handling of food and pesticides and increases the potential of higher yield."

Its low-weight, battery-powered and autonomous operation solves multiple issues currently facing farmers everywhere, such as soil compaction, environmental pollution and labour shortage.

It can also carry out sowing and other operations under conditions where conventional farming cannot be done, due to light and ground conditions or noise emission restrictions.

The research project is sponsored by the European Union.