Weather update Ecorobotix
Feather-light robot fights weeds
On Thursday 31 May, a special scoop was presented at De Veenkoloniale Potato Day in Valthermond (Drenthe). The organization brought the Swiss Ecorobotix robot to the Netherlands for the first time. The machine, with 2 gracefully moving arms, has an almost hypnotic effect and autonomously performs site-specific weed control on solar power. It has become a huge hit on the internet.
The market for agricultural robots is gradually becoming overcrowded with start-ups, test balloons and prototypes. The Swiss company Ecorobotix however, wants to enter the market in 2019 with their machine. To put it disrespectfully, it is a large solar panel on 4 wheels. Sensors detect the weed and apply a small amount of glyphosate. Just like you fight storage manually. This should save significant resources.
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Apply selective herbicide
The manufacturer speaks of a herbicide use that is 20 times lower than with full field control. Not entirely fair, since you would never treat sugar beets or onions like that. That savings is necessary. There are only 2 tanks on it, each with a capacity of 15 liters. Enough for 1 day's work, says the maker. It should yield another benefit: by applying highly concentrated amounts, less effective herbicides can be re-licensed and applied selectively.
A large solar panel, and a battery connected to it, ensure that it can do its job (without refueling). If it is cloudy, the battery will last for 12 hours at a driving speed of 1,4 kilometers per hour. Operation is via an app on your smartphone or tablet. For that, it has its own Wi-Fi network. You can also connect remotely via 4G.
Accuracy
The sensors can detect 95% of all weeds, according to the makers. RTK GPS keeps it neat between the rows. The maximum working width is 2 meters and the minimum row spacing is 35 centimeters, up to a maximum of 70 centimeters. However, the ambition is to also be able to treat crops sown in full field. That way you have work for it all year round. The crop height may be a maximum of 25 centimetres.
Ecorobotix says the machine is capable of treating 3 hectares per day, under ideal conditions. The robot arms then make a maximum of 4.000 movements per hour. For more capacity, you have to deploy a whole swarm. In addition, you have to use special software that ensures that they do not get into each other's way. Or, the concept needs to be broadened considerably.
The current model weighs 130 kilos and is therefore quite light. The soil should not be too wet, too soft or too uneven and hilly. In that respect, the Netherlands is an excellent test environment. Even at wind speeds above 60 kilometers per hour, it cannot get started.
Long trajectory
The company has not yet announced a price. The Swiss developers are serious in their ambition. This month it raised €9,2 million in a second investment round. BASF, among others, is the lender of the machine. Development started at the end of 2013 and a prototype followed in 2015. In early 2019 you can hopefully expect the first commercial specimen in the field and enjoy its graceful work in the field.
The Ecorobotix was launched in the Netherlands on The Veenkoloniale Potato Day shown. Wageningen Economic Research is also showing a prototype of a spraying system with cameras. Agrifac is working on similar technology (spot spraying) and is showing this on their existing Condor self-propelled vehicle.
Cover photo: Innovation Veenkoloniën
Niels van der Boom
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