A shrinking package of resources, increasing pressure on labor and rapidly rising energy costs. These are developments that are accelerating the demand for robots in the agricultural sector. MoveRTK likes to help innovations in this area and supports startup Aigro. "Accurate GPS data is essential for us," says Aigro initiator Peter Briër.
The first prototypes of the Aigro robot ran in the tree nursery this season. These small autonomous tool carriers can remove weeds based on GPS. "They are small electric vehicles that are equipped with exchangeable batteries. Think of it as a kind of oversized robotic lawnmower," says Peter Briër. Together with Jev Kuznetsov he started the Dutch startup 2,5 years ago agro. Two high-tech machine builders with a mission: robotic weed removal.
Accurate to a centimeter
With his twenty years of experience in machine building for the tree nursery, Rob Jansen completed the Aigro team. Reliability and accuracy are paramount for the three men. The development of their robot stands or falls with this. They are therefore happy with the collaboration with MoveRTK. "Crop robots must be able to drive between the crop with an accuracy of one centimeter. To achieve this, you not only need GPS data, but also correction data that increases the accuracy," explains Brier. "MoveRTK provides that data, along with a reliable mobile internet connection."
MoveRTK is the standard for GPS RTK correction signals for precision farming, among others. This initiative originated from a partnership of seven renowned industry associations in collaboration with network supplier 06-GPS. Briër: "As our company is still in development, we are very happy that MoveRTK supports us by providing free data. A reliable party that ensures that the technology works as it should. With this we have increased the accuracy of our robot over the past year can improve.”
Innovation helps the sector move forward
MoveRTK believes it is important to support young companies such as Aigro with know-how and data. "Aigro is investing in the future of agricultural mechanization", says operational manager Jean-Paul Henry. "Robotization takes place in many areas and can be done in many ways. From tractors that drive autonomously to smaller, electrical devices of which you can drive several. Success depends on accurate positioning, otherwise robots would not be close to or through the crops. As a supplier, MoveRTK is an essential link in this. We attach great importance to innovation and would like to help agriculture in the Netherlands move forward."
Aigro underlines that mission. There is a great need, says Briër, who refers, among other things, to the reduction of the number of available crop protection products. "Mechanical or manual weed control is an alternative, but costs a lot of labor and energy. Small, electric robots are the future in that regard."
Generate data
According to Brier, this applies not only to tree nurseries, but also to open cultivation where soil compaction is an increasing problem. "Field robots are still in their infancy here, but within now and fifteen years it will be a reality," the entrepreneur expects. "We would like to contribute to this with our startup." The next step is to also use the robots as a measuring instrument. "The Aigro robot also generates a lot of data. You could use this, for example, to monitor the crop or to detect diseases and pests. We are now looking at the possibilities with partners. In any case, we have the platform available. ."