SCORPION
Cost effective robots for smart precision spraying Artificial IntelligenceRobotics
Description
Spraying in agriculture represents a societal challenge due to its negative impact in human and animal health and in environment. SCORPION’s objective was to develop a safe and autonomous precision spraying tool integrated into a modular unmanned tractor (robotics platform) to increase spraying efficiency, while reducing human and animal exposure to pesticides, water usage and labour costs. The project focused on steep slope vineyards but with impact in other high-value permanent crops (olive groves and fruticulture). SCORPION’ considered Global Navigation Satellite System (EGNSS) receiver (triple frequency, PPP, OS-NMA, HAS) fused with other sensors, to increase the solution reliability, accuracy and safeness, and to enable autonomous ultraviolet light treatments (to eliminate partial need of phytopharmaceuticals) and to allow high precision spraying in permanent crops.
Scientific Advances
SCORPION has developed a suite of advanced modular robotic technologies tailored to meet the needs of precision agriculture in mountainous regions and integrated them into the WETA spraying robot. According to project coordinator Filipe Neves dos Santos, of INESC TEC,: “The high-precision spraying tool interprets geo-referenced ‘prescription maps’ built by decision support systems considering fields’ historical data such as soil nutrient levels and historical yields. It uses variable rate technology (VRT) to adjust the spray to the plant's size and health. Pulse-width modulation and an electric fan enable almost no spray loss and ten times greater energy efficiency than traditional spraying methods.” Furthermore, it can be switched from spraying to ultraviolet light application in less than 10 minutes and the user can interface the robot using an Android smartphone that is connected to INESC TEC’s robotic navigation system.
The fully electric WETA robotic platform guarantees four-wheel traction even on the most challenging rocky and sloping grounds. Its turning radius under 20 centimetres and slim profile of less than one metre wide enable it to tend to densely planted crops without soil compaction. Finally, the robotic navigation system enables comprehensive localisation and real-time path planning. Both this system and the spraying tool can be seamlessly integrated into any tractor or robotic platform to achieve a fully autonomous spraying system.
Results
The WETA agricultural robot, robotic navigation system, and VRT are equipped with the latest technology, enabling a global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) receiver to operate with all the Galileo services. This ensures they function optimally with real-time data 24 hours a day even in remote areas without mobile network coverage. In environments with adequate mobile reception, the systems switch to real-time kinematics mode to enhance localisation accuracy and provide redundancy. Their cutting-edge perception system includes light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and cameras. The robotic navigation system also has an inertial navigation system and considers visible natural landscape features for accurate and reliable 3D localisation when it detects GNSS anomalies or interference.
The WETA agricultural robot offers unparalleled precision, reliability and safety in open-field operations. It will not only enhance sustainability and promote eco-friendly practices in vineyard management, but facilitate expansion into untapped mountainous regions of immense potential, fostering the growth of local economies. SCORPION is paving the way for a new era of precision agriculture and smart farming.
Scientific Advances
SCORPION has developed a suite of advanced modular robotic technologies tailored to meet the needs of precision agriculture in mountainous regions and integrated them into the WETA spraying robot. According to project coordinator Filipe Neves dos Santos, of INESC TEC,: “The high-precision spraying tool interprets geo-referenced ‘prescription maps’ built by decision support systems considering fields’ historical data such as soil nutrient levels and historical yields. It uses variable rate technology (VRT) to adjust the spray to the plant's size and health. Pulse-width modulation and an electric fan enable almost no spray loss and ten times greater energy efficiency than traditional spraying methods.” Furthermore, it can be switched from spraying to ultraviolet light application in less than 10 minutes and the user can interface the robot using an Android smartphone that is connected to INESC TEC’s robotic navigation system.
The fully electric WETA robotic platform guarantees four-wheel traction even on the most challenging rocky and sloping grounds. Its turning radius under 20 centimetres and slim profile of less than one metre wide enable it to tend to densely planted crops without soil compaction. Finally, the robotic navigation system enables comprehensive localisation and real-time path planning. Both this system and the spraying tool can be seamlessly integrated into any tractor or robotic platform to achieve a fully autonomous spraying system.
Results
The WETA agricultural robot, robotic navigation system, and VRT are equipped with the latest technology, enabling a global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) receiver to operate with all the Galileo services. This ensures they function optimally with real-time data 24 hours a day even in remote areas without mobile network coverage. In environments with adequate mobile reception, the systems switch to real-time kinematics mode to enhance localisation accuracy and provide redundancy. Their cutting-edge perception system includes light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and cameras. The robotic navigation system also has an inertial navigation system and considers visible natural landscape features for accurate and reliable 3D localisation when it detects GNSS anomalies or interference.
The WETA agricultural robot offers unparalleled precision, reliability and safety in open-field operations. It will not only enhance sustainability and promote eco-friendly practices in vineyard management, but facilitate expansion into untapped mountainous regions of immense potential, fostering the growth of local economies. SCORPION is paving the way for a new era of precision agriculture and smart farming.
