Automated field work at farms
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet - Energi och teknik |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 315 000 |
| Project duration | November 2018 - August 2019 |
| Status | Completed |
| Venture | Challenge-Driven Innovation – Stage 1 initiation |
Important results from the project
The aim of the project is to develop a small, modular, electric vehicle that can autonomously perform agricultural work, as well as obtain information on field conditions. After step 1, after contacts with knowledgeable people in relevant industries and smaller tests, this is still considered an approach to achieve several of the Agenda 2030 goals that are technically feasible and environmentally and economically interesting.
Expected long term effects
The focus has shifted somewhat towards a more pronounced focus on relatively small fields, e.g. vegetables and fruits, in a first stage. A physical platform and software for control have been evaluated and the experience from those tests will form the basis for the upcoming application. Contacts with new parties have been established in several areas. An application will be submitted to step 2 in early 2020, work on organizational forms and formal agreements for this are ongoing.
Approach and implementation
During the course of the project, contacts with relevant persons were made partly through a workshop and partly through direct contacts. Various alternatives to solutions have been analyzed, both theoretically and through practical tests. This has led to a basis for continued work where a light, but robust, physical platform is controlled by an existing control system that is being further developed and where additional software can be connected via ROS (Robot Operating System).