Autonomous Robots Can Carry Heavy Loads for Farmers - and Much More

Autonomous robots support high-value permanent crop growers (such as table-grape, berry, citrus and stone-fruit farms), as well as commercial nurseries and greenhouses.

Those familiar with Burro, a brand of autonomous robots, understand that it is a versatile, multi-use mobile robot designed to relieve labor challenges and improve operational productivity in the agricultural industry. Burro can perform multiple autonomous tasks, including towing, carrying, scouting and patrolling in support of human laborers, whether they work in fields, greenhouses, nurseries or some other location.

The beauty of these autonomous robots, however, is that their capabilities are just the beginning of what is possible. Because the robot is essentially a “smart” autonomous platform on wheels, equipped with powerful AI and computer vision, it’s possible to integrate other technologies on board for a variety of new applications. As two examples of this, the company recently partnered with Bitwise Agronomy and BloomX to equip the machine with crop-scouting and pollination technologies.

Challenges of Field Work

According to the North Carolina Farmworker Health Program, farm labor ranks as one of the top three most dangerous occupations in the U.S. The program’s website states: “Injuries in farm work commonly result from repetitive movements and stooping, operating dangerous equipment and carrying heavy loads.”

Injuries are not only often devastating to employees, who rely on their physical abilities to work, but are costly and can lead to reductions in a farm’s overall productivity and profitability. These negative outcomes are challenging for the industry as a whole, which is facing an unprecedented shortage of field laborers.

Another challenge farmers face is the time-consuming and often hazardous task of setting up and breaking down temporary conveyor belts that transfer harvested products to a staging area or a warehouse. These conveyors are awkward, heavy and are frequently flagged in safety audits for their back-injury risks, pinch points and more.

“The challenges of field work are very real. While challenges from grower to grower are diverse, the need for movement of picked crops from the field, or young plants throughout a nursery, show a common thread; a simple solution for autonomous mobility across diverse environments is a huge need.” explained Burro’s Chris Thiesen, head of California sales and service, who brings years of experience in commercial farm management.

Carrying the Day

One solution to these issues is to incorporate new technology, like Burro, into fieldwork operations. Because such machines can carry up to 500 pounds in a single load, even over rough terrain, and boasts a battery life of eight to 10 hours (equating to around eight miles traversed), the robot can take on much of the burden of hauling harvested product from deep within the field where it’s picked.

Similar to a train pulling a line of boxcars, these robots can also pull multiple trailers behind it, maximizing operational productivity further. And, while a they are in transit, laborers can execute other tasks while they wait for it to return, adding to efficiency gains.

On-board cameras also feed live footage to fleet managers to provide visibility while it is in use. Managers can view real-time data on a user-friendly dashboard that includes stats such as locations of Burros, their operational statuses, how far each has traveled, what the utilization rates are for each and more.

EDITOR’S TAKE:

This might be one application of AI that can provide a huge benefit to growers and workers alike. Allowing workers the capability to continue working while an autonomous machine plays a very supportive role could be a massive boost to productivity. And, by adding capabilities such as spotting weeds, yield monitoring or other similar tasks, farm efficiency could explode. Some may say, this is simply a computerized wagon. However, it is much more. The potential applications of how such machines could be used to improve labor, management and even marketing, is just at the tip of the iceberg. Farmers and ranchers love technology that helps make their operations even better. Make sure to emphasize what technology your dealership and your vehicles bring to the table. Do you offer mobile service? Can you automate service calls? Does your dealership have special capabilities that others don’t? Be sure to let farmers and a ranchers know what sets you apart – they like that!