The Farmers Mart Feb-Mar 2020 - Issue 67 | Page 56

56 FARM BUILDINGS & EQUIPMENT
FEB/MAR 2020 • farmers-mart.co.uk
SWARM ROBOTICS AND
THE FUTURE OF FARMING
Are small swarm robots the future of agriculture? Harry Henderson, knowledge exchange manager, argues there
are some fundamental questions that need answering before our big machines become a thing of the past.
SPEAK to people today and the
latest aid to human life will be
the robot. It is fair to say you
can already buy a robot to mow
your lawn, vacuum your house
and, closer to agriculture, milk
your cows.
So, it’s evolution rather than
revolution, perhaps. But field-
grown crops are largely the
preserve of manned diesel-pow-
ered machines, planting the
crop, applying crop protection
and harvesting the saleable
produce. An ideal target for
robotics to take over, applying
an as yet unheard-of level of
attention to detail, going from
the working width of the sprayer
to analysing each and every
plant, and taking appropriate
action on that very plant.
But hang on, it’s not quite that
simple. Standing in the way of
this revolution are many human
thoughts and feelings such as
simply remaining in business.
Let’s not forget that food is grown
very cheaply right now, and the
consumer is not likely to pay more
because a robot needs funding.
Earlier this year, Agri-Tech
East’s monthly pollinator meeting
focused on swarm robotics with
a top agenda of speakers, who
not only championed, but also
questioned, the use of swarm
robotics in agriculture. A refresh-
ing meeting where the potential
was tempered by the challenges.
Four challenges
to the uptake of
swarm robotics:
First up to speak was Dr. Alan
Millard, lecturer in robotics,
University of Plymouth. Dr
Millard reasoned that swarm
robots would communicate with
each other via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi
to identify and treat many plants
at a time, while monitoring the
crop for other issues, ripeness
and harvest prediction. Rather
scarily, he argued that swarm
robotics are inherently robust
because they employ ‘decen-
tralised control,’ meaning that
no one robot is in control; if one
fails, the rest carry on. They
can also monitor each other’s
performance, meaning that a
poor performer can be removed
by the other robots for repairs.
Dr Millard cited four chal-
lenges to the uptake of swarm
robotics in agriculture.
1. In field environments, is
Bluetooth good enough, and
will 5G networks be as good
as we need?
2. Capacity to make ‘live’
decisions. Will robots be
able to sense crop problems
and identify and apply a
solution as they work across
a field? All this, of course
within parameters set by the
grower.
3. Public acceptance. Is it right
that robots are deciding the
standard of food quality that
the consumer gets to buy?
It’s important that the public
are on-board from the
outset.
4. What is the business model?
Who owns the technology,
maintains and repairs it?
Importantly, who has access
to the data the robots are
collecting in the course of
their daily work?
Dr Millard felt that two things
are certain. Ground-based
technology will win over drone-
based tech, as legislation tightens
up over aerial operations and
limited run times. And modular
robots will be able to be adapted
to different tasks as the crop
demands change.
Closer to today, Dr Millard is
working with Cornish growers
on autonomous, coordinated
harvesting of cauliflowers in col-
laboration with the Eden Project,
Agri-tech Cornwall and Teagle
Machinery Ltd.
A recent survey of 4,500
farmers around the world found
that 8–12 hours a week is spent
entering data in 99 different
types of farm software. The com-
plexity and hunger for data must
go down, which will lead to more
autonomous decision-making in
live, in-field situations.
Are autonomous
robots safe?
Mark Nicholson, senior
lecturer in systems safety,
University of York, spoke
about safety management of
autonomous farms. From the
very outset of autonomous
operation, safety must be built
in. Who is responsible in the
event of accident or injury? The
owner of the technology? The
supplier? Eventually, it will be
the manufacturers who send
their machines to unknown
destinations to be operated
by persons unknown. Clearly,
much more emphasis will be
needed in training operators.
Mark is involved in the Assuring
Autonomy International
Program to ensure safety in all
types of autonomous systems.
This work will be critical in the
uptake of driverless vehicles in
the field and road.
A more sustainable
solution?
Sam Watson Jones, co-founder
of the Small Robot Company
shared his vision into his work
so far. Small prototype robots
named Tom, Dick and Harry
handling crop and soil monitor-
ing, feeding and weeding, and
planting and drilling, respec-
tively, with decisions being
made by Wilma, communicating
with all field robots. Sam felt
strongly that the current size of
machinery causing yield limiting
soil compaction, along with the
loss of active ingredients through
legislation and resistance, was
unsustainable. Add to his think-
ing that as much as 85% of UK
farms are not financially viable
if not government supported,
this adds up to a need for radical
change on the UK farm. Small
robots would increase yield,
lower environmental impact and
return profitability to farmers.
The global farm machinery
industry with huge factories
to employ would find itself
unable to turn around, allowing
smaller companies to flourish
in this new world of sustainable
food production. Bold words
indeed.
There’s no doubt the future
is coming. How you fit into this
new world will be, well, up to
you.