Robotic systems for precision agriculture

Abstract: 

The output of the project is a robotic system for search and destruction of selected weeds, pathogens and pests plant or other agrotechnological interventions in open areas agricultural crops. The system will consist of a single robot or a swarm of ground robots autonomously cooperating with each other and the drone. The essence of the system is that it can, on the basis of autonomous assessment (rapid reconnaissance by a flying drone and comparison of the data with the data in the system's library) detect target locations and perform the required action (agrotechnological intervention). This means finding the site with the presence of a weed, pest or other object of activity to which a specific ground robot will arrive and perform the required action. The next output will be a prototype robotic stress monitoring system and treatment of plants in closed spaces (industrial greenhouses or polytunnels). The system will consist of a ground robot cooperating with a group of autonomous drones capable of moving in enclosed spaces without GPS-based orientation. The essence of of the robotic system is (i) a ground robot that will be able to to move around in industrial greenhouses and will be able to use special sensors to detect the state of the monocultures in the greenhouse and will also be equipped with means for immediate treatment, and ii) an autonomous drone or a swarm of drones that will navigate without the use of GPS, which will create an interactive map and perform rapid monitoring of plant health.