An overview of weeding by robots – focus on European solutions

An overview of weeding by
robots – focus on
European solutions
Davide Rizzo
Associate professor in agronomy, data scientist – UniLaSalle France
SCRI Planning Grant Meeting-Robotic Weed Control in Specialty Crops
January 7, 2022

A short introduction
Who am I?
Landscape agronomist and data scientist
Focus decision-making systems and
supports at the institutional (i.e., sociological
and organizational) levels
https://daviderizzo.org | Twitter @dav_rizzo
January 7, 2022
Weeding by robots: a European focus – by D. Rizzo
2

A private higher education institute
Institut Polytechnique UniLaSalle
4050 students
20 degree programs in Food
& Health, Geology &
Environment, Agronomy
and several Bachelor and
Master degree programs
7 Academic and Industrial
Chairs
6 research units and
several facilities member of the Lasallian education network
4 campuses in northern France:
Rennes, Rouen, Amiens and Beauvais
January 7, 2022
3

An interface between industry & academy
Supported by UniLaSalle with the non-profit sponsorship
from the Michelin Corporate Foundation, AGCO Massey-
Ferguson, Kuhn, the Hauts-de-France Regional Council and
the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Academic team for teaching and research on
innovation in agricultural equipment and
technologies for agriculture
Mission: to support students, farmers,
manufacturers and distributors of agricultural
equipment in mastering the innovation of
production tools opened up by new technologies
Rizzo D, Dubois M, Combaud A (2018) Innovation des agroéquipements : au carrefour
entre agriculteurs, industriels et formation. Beauvais, FRA, http://bit.ly/2G5dPu9
https://chaire-agromachinisme-nouvelles-technologies.unilasalle.fr/
January 7, 2022
4

Manufacturers & academy
Rizzo D, Dubois M,
Combaud A (2018)
Innovation des
agroéquipements :
au carrefour entre
agriculteurs,
industriels et
formation. Beauvais,
FRA,
http://bit.ly/2G5dPu9
January 7, 2022
5
UniLaSalle
Beauvais is
located in great
proximity to
agricultural
equipment
manufacturers

A high-density technology district
Why Beauvais?
https://www.beauvaisis.fr/actualites/actualites-du-beauvaisis/un-
appel-a-projets-pour-l-innovation-agricole.html
January 7, 2022
6
The Beauvais city area brings together leading
players in mechanics and digital technology for
agriculture.
The Rev'Agro district is federating them to become
a European reference for the development of
agtech and digital agriculture.

An overview of the
European context
Towards a data intensive farming driven by the agfood sector
January 7, 2022
7

Seen fro Europe, robots are rapidly improving
Overview of AgAutomation
Technologies are available
From task automation to operation
automation
Difficulties: working with living things
and extrapolating models from one
culture to another
AgBot by AgXeed, autonomous implement carrier,. InnovAgri 2021 CC BY D. Rizzo
Lack of legal framework and
references for insurance
Change of scale: from gigantism to
the fleet of machines
January 7, 2022
8

New players creates interfaces and opportunities
An overview of agtech actors
society farmers
manufacturers
new players
(outcomers)
reducing pressure
on environmental
ressources
safe food
for a growing population
new farmers’
generations
in the upcoming
few years
real-time data
high-precision positioning
more complex
Decision
Support
Systems
new farming models
(data augmented and
individual driven)
performance monitoring
improve traceability
Need
for
new
skills,
references,
knowledge
AGTECH
dealers
agri-equipment
Rizzo, D., Ritz, S., & Combaud, A. (2019). Mastering
AgTech again: Emerging of new training offers and
intermediate players. Proceedings of the International
ScientificConference “Rural Development,” 57–61.
https://doi.org/10.15544/RD.2019.044
January 7, 2022
9

Innovation, distribution and training
3 issues for the ag equipment sector
New technologies
and solution from
outsiders highlight
the split between
services,
infrastructure, and
objects
New skills are required to
master agtech, thus opening
opportunities for knowledge
system and advisory service
(e.g. indipendent and demo
trainers)
* *
Dealers and distribution
play a crucial role in coupling agtech
and knowledge to master it
*
Rizzo, D., Ritz, S., & Combaud, A.
(2019). Mastering AgTech again:
Emerging of new training offers and
intermediateplayers. Proceedings of the
International Scientific Conference
“Rural Development,” 57–61.
https://doi.org/10.15544/RD.2019.044
January 7, 2022
10

A strategic agreement to access data
Data protection vs data sharing
http://www.cema-agri.org/publication/code-conduct-agricultural-data-sharing-sets-scene-digital-farming
“I welcome the EU Code of conduct on
agricultural data sharing initiated by
the stakeholders of the agro-food
sector.
As Europe is moving towards a more
modern and more sustainable CAP,
technological solutions will be more
important than ever, giving precision
agriculture and data-driven solutions
a crucial role to play,”
EU Agriculture Commissioner Phil
Hogan said.
January 7, 2022
11
Weed management
by robots requires
data. As such it is
constrained by data
sharing rules

Agreement for data sharing
January 7, 2022
12
Picture: https://lectura.press/en/picture/the-agrirouter/54874
https://my-agrirouter.com/fr/
Agreement between a large
number of manufacturers
and technology providers to
establish exchange protocols
Weed management
could be fed by data
sharing among
providers of connected
equipment

January 7, 2022
13
French technical institutes expect
that digitalization of agriculture
will impact field experimentation
Lejeune, V., Brun, F., & Villain, F. (2016). L’accès aux données pour la
Recherche et l’Innovation en Agriculture: Position des Instituts Techniques
Agricoles. ACTA, Les Instituts Techniques Agricoles.
http://www.acta.asso.fr/fr/actualites/communiques-de-presse/articles-et-
communiques/detail/a/detail/livre-blanc-0591.html

January 7, 2022
14
Isaac, H., & Pouyat, M. (Eds.). (2018). La valeur des
données agricoles. Renaissance Numérique.
http://www.renaissancenumerique.org/publications/la-
valeur-des-donnees-agricoles
Digital technology creates
new openings from
upstream to downstream
Example: in 2019 Bosch defined
an agreement for ag
digitalization with Bonduelle, a
French family-run company and
is the current world leader in
ready-to-use vegetables, in all
their forms. Founded in 1853

Data “servitization”
Opportunities from data integration
eMAT crosses the residual
profiles of the adopted
pesticides with the legislation
on maximum residue limits
(MRLs) set in wine in force in
the different countries of the
world and in the mass
distribution
https://www.syngenta.it/emat
January 7, 2022
15
Vineyard is a high added value specialty crop for
Europe. There is high pressure from the market to
reduce its environmental impact (due to pesticides
and herbicides). Data are exploited for tracking (and
labelling) practices

January 7, 2022
16
Benjamin Nowak. (2021, novembre 12).
New #RStatsproject : Netwok analysis
for crop rotation. Below an example for
France. (... Also a good tool to explain
the difference between crop area and
crop rotation to new agronomy
students!...)https://t.co/UlSqrVUjiV
[Tweet]. @BjnNowak.
https://twitter.com/BjnNowak/status/145
9087076612259840
Data are
allowing to
model real
crop
sequences

Combining models and drones for weed control
Precision Weed Control (PWC)
17
Nikolić et al. (2021) Site and time-specific
early weed control is able to reduce
herbicide use in maize - a case study.
Italian Journal of Agronomy (ahead of print)
https://doi.org/10.4081/ija.2021.1780
Temporal weed control
(predictive model of emergence)
ALERTINF
Rainfall and soil temperature to predict weed emergence for corn and
soyben (calibrated for Venice Region, Northern Italy)
– Masin et al.
Comparative test of interpretative methods for weed
identification
Mapping by drone
Site-specific control of weeds
PWC
Valuing agronomic
experience on the basis of
simple predictive models
to choose the most
suitable time for precision
mapping by drone
January 7, 2022

A focus on France
January 7, 2022
18

| A very busy farmer Jean-Marc Côté, 1900
1900’s postcard from a
series of futuristic
pictures by Jean-Marc
Côté came to light after
Isaac Asimov (1986) in
“Futuredays: A
Nineteenth Century
Vision of the Year
2000”.
https://publicdomainr
eview.org/collections/f
rance-in-the-year-
2000-1899-1910/
January 7, 2022
19

France, leader of ag robotics
An institutional perspective
January 7, 2022
20

3rd for machinery, 1st for production
France : agro++ machinisme~
Source: AXEMA 2019,
Economic report 2018
http://www.axema.fr/Espace
Presse/Lists/Publications/R
apport%20%C3%A9conomi
que_2018_EN_BD.pdf
The agricultural sector
and machinery
manufacturers would
benefit from a
stronger interface
Agronomy should
support the design of
agricultural machinery
January 7, 2022
21

Digital offers, only in crop production!
A high diversity of actors and start-up
https://www.aspexit.com/les-
entreprises-agriculture-de-precision-et-
agtech/
January 7, 2022
22

Institutional perspective /1
VILLANI, C. Donner un
sens à l’Intelligence
Artificielle. Mission
parlementaire du 8
septembre 2017 au 8
mars 2018.235 p.
January 7, 2022
23
France wants to become a
leader of of augmented
agriculture

2 of the “Bournigal reports” focus on agtech
Bournigal J-M (2014)
Définir ensemble le futur du
secteur des
agroéquipements
http://bit.ly/Bournigal_2014
Bournigal J-M, Houiller F,
Lecouvey P, Pringuet P
(2015) Agriculture –
Innovations 2025 : 30
projets pour une agriculture
compétitive & respectueuse
de l’environnement.
MinAgri, Paris (FRA)
http://bit.ly/Bournigal_2015
https://www.fira-agtech.com
A national accelerator
program to intensify the
conception, validation, and
dissemination of tomorrow’s
robots for agriculture
FIRA's an annual forum that
aims to create a community
that brings change through
agricultural innovation.
https://www.robagri.fr/
Developing
tomorrow’s agriculture
implies co-design
agricultural robotics
and digital agriculture
Robotics is
expected to involve
precise, effective
and safe equipment
through research,
system innovation
and tests
January 7, 2022
24

Agroecology and data at the forefront
Machenaud, G., Klein, P., Terrien, F., & Pasco, E. (2014).
Agroéquipement et triple performance. Freins et leviers pour la
transition agroécologique. (p. 137). ABSO conseil.
http://agriculture.gouv.fr/ministere/agroequipements-et-triple-
performance-freins-et-leviers-pour-la-transition-agroecologique
Bournigal, J.-M. (2016). AgGate. Portail de
données pour l’innovation en agriculture. IRSTEA.
https://agriculture.gouv.fr/un-portail-de-donnees-
pour-linnovation-en-agriculture-la-synthese-du-
rapport
January 7, 2022
25

New agri-equipment on the rise
Zooming out
https://agronoter.wordpress.com/2019/12/10/fira19-live-notes/
FIRA
The world
forum on ag
robotics
ROBAGRI
Association of
~70 members
of ag robotics
sector
Robots
Main focus is
on vineyards
and weeding
ROBOTTI
AgriIntelli (DK)
focusd on soil
preservation
Small Robot
Company
3 robots (UK) and
an IA engine
Cénteol ‘18
Alliance bw Kuhn,
Agreenculture and
other partners
January 7, 2022
26

Now is the time for field crops
More than 8000 milking robots
https://agronoter.wordpress.com/2019/12/10/fira19-live-notes/
https://www.zdnet.fr/actualites/les-robots-agricoles-
passent-le-cap-des-10-000-en-france-39910921.htm
January 7, 2022
27

A rapid evolution of ag-equipment is expected
Outlook for ag robots (2035)
agroequipment
robot
Expected sales (Mln $) Self-driven tractors
Agricultural drones
Equipment management
Fertilisation, crop and
forest protection
Tillage, seeding, plantation
Animal management
Dairy management
January 7, 2022
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Source: AXEMA 2018, Economic report 2017,
based on Tractica report estimation
Available at http://www.axema.fr/AProposAxema/Documents/RE%202017_EN_25-05-2018_BD.PDF

Facteurs d’influence et estimations
Lack of labour
Lack of labour
Diffusion and expectation of alternative production techniques
reducing or with zero synthesis phytochemicals (better precision)
Sales of agricultural robots
Estimations Goldman & Sachs
2015: 3 Bilion €
→ 2025: 74 Bln € dont 30 Bln € of
autonomous tractors, but « figures
strongly depend on future
regulations »
Estimation IDTechEx
2016: 3 Bln €
→ 2022: 10 Bln €
Probably very optimistic
estimate, but clear trends
Source: adapted from RobAgri presentation, Lebars 2018
January 7, 2022
29
Active agricultural workers per EU country (examples)

Robots and drones by agricultural activity
Market and technology readiness
January 7, 2022
30
Michael Dent, IDTechEx
Lenain, R., Peyrache, J., Savary, A., & Séverac, G. (2021).
Agricultural robotics: Part of the new deal? FIRA 2020 conclusions -
With 27 agricultural robot information sheets. Quae.
https://www.quae.com/product/1711/9782759233830/agricultural-
robotics-part-of-the-new-deal-fira-2020-conclusions

Challenge Centeol 2018 /1
Agreenculture organized in 2018 the
Centeol challenge with its partners
Kuhn, Pioneer, Ausy and Compo
Expert.
Goal: to work a 50 ha corn plot in total
autonomy: (1) modulation of the sowing
density, (2) localized fertilization, (3)
post-emergence fertilization. Finally, up
to three weeding operations were
planned with two autonomous
machines.
Source : https://www.terre-net.fr/materiel-agricole/travail-sol-semis/article/challenge-centeol-2018-210-137589.html
https://twitter.com/C_Centeol
January 7, 2022
31

Challenge Centeol /2
50 ha of corn grown almost entirely with robots
Real-size agronomic test
0,24 bar 0,23 bar
1,1 bar
0,8 bar
Evolution in the last 80 years Future??
Fonte:
adattato
da
presentazione
RobAgri,
Lebars
2018
January 7, 2022
32

The 5 automatized operations
Challenge Centeol /3
Fonte:
adattato
da
presentazione
RobAgri,
Lebars
2018
Tillage
Seeding Crop
protection
Hoeing
(weeding)
Fertilization
FIRA 2018: https://youtu.be/hTfh7ouAu9E
January 7, 2022
33

A recent declaration from French President
Willigness to phase out glyphosate
January 7, 2022
34
https://web.archive.org/web/20220106161210/https://www
.actu-environnement.com/dit-aujourdhui/1060.html

To swicth to mechanical weeding
But 5 years at least are needed
January 7, 2022
35
AXEMA. (2020). Solutions alternatives au
glyphosate en viticulture & arboriculture : Une
transition de 5 ans mininum est nécessaire.
http://www.axema.fr/EspacePresse/Pages/com
muniqueDetails.aspx?IdComunique=65
A transitional phaseof 5 years
from the eventual decisionto phase outthe
glyphosate use
Supportingand trainingend users
by mean of guides and the like
Labeling efficacity
So as to evaluate alternative equipment, to
be backed up by a compulsoryset-up
training for the users
SupportingFrench industrialactors
To face the challengeof increasing
production capabilities and distribution
Creatingand supporting an“agro-
ecoresponsible”employmentprofile
For every employeesnet increasefor R&D,
production, training and marketing
Recommendations to supporta possibledecisionto phase out
glyphosate use
The French Agency for Food, Environmental and
Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) and the Ministry of
Agriculture and Food asked Axema (the French trade
union of manufacturers of agricultural equipment) to carry
out a study on the industrial capacity to ensure a transition
from glyphosate-based systemic weed control to
alternative, mainly mechanical, weed control methods in
vineyards and orchards in the short term of 3 to 6 months.
According to global estimates, it would take at least
5 years to equip all 50,000 French vineyards and
orchards (whose current rate of equipment is 10%
for weeding on the row)

A political orientation that includes eco-efficiency
Plan « France Relance »
Transition agricole
(1% du plan total + PIA)
400M€ – Accélération de la transformation du secteur
agricole : bio, haute valeur environnementale
(HVE), circuit court, projets alim. territoriaux
100M€ – Plan en faveur de l’autonomie protéique
250M€ – Modernisation des abattoirs et biosécurité des
élevage, élevage en pleine air, bien-être animal
250M€ – Renouvellement du parc matériel
Modernisation des technologies agricole :
développement des agroéquipements,
alimentation saine, etc. – Plan d’investissement
per l’avenir (PIA)
https://www.gouvernement.fr/france-relance
January 7, 2022
36

2,8 Bln € for robotics, genetics & data
Lors de la visite sur le site de NeoFarm et UV
Boosting, le Ministre Denormandie et Cédric Ô
annoncent 200 Mln € pour faire de la France le
berceau mondial de l’AgriTech.
Puis, l’annonce du soutien à la 3e révolution agricole,
portant sur le triptyque : robotique – numérique –
génétique. 2 Mld France 2030 + 877 Mld de PIA
J Denormandie sur Tiwtter :
https://twitter.com/J_Denormandie/status/1432459532110794759/photo/3
January 7, 2022
37

RobAgri
January 7, 2022
38

Accelerer le développement de la robotique
agricole
RobAgri – Association Loi 1901
Discussions with different stakeholders in Ag. sector on Robotic
Decision for the creation of an new organization to specifically address this
topic and the development of the agricultural robotics
Reports to the French minister of Agriculture on
Agriculture & innovation 2025 (Bournigal et al. 2015)
➔ 2 over 4 main lines of progress identified :
Robotics and Digital
2014
2016
2017
2015
October 2017 : creation of a non profit association
56 funding members
Aim: To speed up the development and market
Introduction of Robots in Agriculture for Industrials and start-ups in
France
8 key missions identified
October 2020: 71 members
Fonte:
adattato
da
presentazione
RobAgri,
Lebars
2018
January 7, 2022
39

Réunir tous les acteurs du secteur
RobAgri – compétences
Recherche Agriculteurs
Start ups
Soluzioni pertinenti
Industrie
24 Industriels et start-up 14 Fournisseurs de technologies
19 Instituts de recherche et enseignement 7 Pôles 6 Utilisateurs
https://www.robagri.fr/annuaire/
Fonte: adattato da presentazione RobAgri, Duran S., FIRA 2020
January 7, 2022
40

Within the aim to create a favorable ecosystem
RobAgri: mission and impact
How to evaluate the
performance of robotic
equipment vs. currently available
assets?
Participation in the
definition of norms and
standards for safety and
certification
Transfer of technology
and knowledge from
research to industry
What are the
expectations and
needs of farmers? What
developments in cropping
systems? Impact and
social acceptability?
Representation
(single point of contact)
for national and
international authorities.
e.g., France
Relance
January 7, 2022
41
Source: adapted from RobAgri presentation, Duran S., FIRA 2020

Activities are based on working groups
RobAgri: the 8 original goals
January 7, 2022
42
S1 Scientific and technical document review, and farmer expectations
Farmer needs and perspective vision for robotics. Mapping the needs and
expertise of association members
S2 Develop robotic solutions within small consortia
S3 Share common software tools for development
S4 Establish a library of algorithms
S5 Build demonstrators: open mobile robotics bases
S6 Testing and qualification of performances
In the future: testing of sensors...
S7 Standardization FR/EU/Car directives and ISO 18497
S8 Promotion and dissemination Source: adapted from RobAgri presentation, Duran S., FIRA 2020

Already 3 scientific workshops at FIRA
RobAgri: transfer of knowledge
Roland LENAIN (INRAE) & Scientific committee
https://www.fira-agtech.com/en/scientific-workshop/
FIRA 2019: ~ 200 participants
Collaboration in the preparation of the Forum, with about 800
participants from 40 countries
FIRA 2020: 2nd scientific-workshop
Over 3000 participants in the first fully online version
15 aprile 2021 FIRA Open Day (online)
https://www.fira-agtech.com/en/fira-open-day/
https://www.agricultural-robotics.com/
January 7, 2022
43

An ag robot catalogue
January 7, 2022
44

Some sources of information
January 7, 2022
45

The French project ROSE and the EU ACRE
2 challenges about weeding by robots
January 7, 2022
46
In ACRE (Agri-food Competition for Robot Evaluation), autonomous robots
compete to demonstrate their ability to perform agricultural tasks
(such as removing weeds or surveying crops down to individual-plant
resolution) requiring autonomous capabilities (such as discriminating crops
from weeds or moving through crops without damaging the plants). These
abilities are crucial for the transition of Europe to Agriculture 4.0, where
precision agriculture is supported byArtificial Intelligence and Robotics.
https://metricsproject.eu/agri-food/
The ROSE Challenge is jointly funded by the French Ministries of Agriculture
and Ecological Transition, via the French Biodiversity Agency (AFB), and the
Ministry of Research, via the French National Research Agency (ANR). The
challenge is organised by LNE and Irstea.
Four research teams are focusing on intra-row weed control in field
vegetable crops and widely spaced large-scale crops.
http://challenge-rose.fr/en/home/

An ongoing research project
High-power laser weeding
January 7, 2022
47
Founded on the EU societal and environmental needs noted by the
European Commission in the call SFS-04-2019-2020 – “Integrated
health approaches and alternatives to pesticide use”, WeLASER aims
to merge current technologies to build, assess and push into the
market a precision weeding equipment based on high-power laser
sources and autonomous mobile systems with the main objective of
eliminating the use of herbicides while improving productivity and
competitiveness; such a system would eradicate health risks and
environmental adverse effects associated with the use of herbicides.
https://welaser-project.eu/

A European project for innovation
Boosting ag robotics development
January 7, 2022
48
agROBOfood is an EU funded project aiming to build a European ecosystem for the effective
adoption of robotic technologies in the agri food sector, which in turn will become more efficient
and competitive.
The heart of the project is formed by Innovation Experiments, organized and monitored by Digital
Innovation Hubs. In 7 Regional Clusters, Initial Innovation Experiments will demonstrate robotics
innovations in agri food, in a manner that ensures replicability and wide adoption across Europe.
Digital Innovation Hubs will support companies in digitization by connecting various stakeholders.
agROBOfood already connects the world of Robotics and Agriculture, R&D and business by
establishing a sustainable network of Digital Innovation Hubs.
The network already counts 49 Digital Innovation Hubs and 12 Competence Centers and it will
be extended and strengthened during the project. In addition, agROBOfood will launch "Open Calls"
through which it will attract and fund additional Innovation Experiments and Industrial Challenges.A
total of €8 million will be allocated for the direct benefit of SMEs through "Open Calls".
https://agrobofood.eu/agricultural-robotics-a-european-catalogue/

Ducksize from Corné Rispens
An independent site for field reference
January 7, 2022
49
https://www.ducksize.com/

Aspexit by Corentin Leroux /1
An independent site for tech reference
January 7, 2022
50
https://www.lesoutilsnu
meriquesdesagriculteur
s.com/en/technologies/r
obotique/

Aspexit by Corentin Leroux /2
An independent site for tech reference
January 7, 2022
51
https://www.lesoutilsnumeriquesdesagricult
eurs.com/en/les-robots-en-agriculture/

Curated by the Future Farming journal
A first ag robotics catalogue
January 7, 2022
52
https://www.futurefarming.com/dossier/field-robots/
Future Farming is the digital
magazine section of Misset
International, which covers the
brands All About Feed, Dairy
Global, Future Farming, Pig
Progress and Poultry World.
Misset International is part of
Misset Uitgeverij B.V. (The
Netherlands), specialising in the
agriculture industry.

The organizers of FIRA
News feed by GOFAR
January 7, 2022
53
https://www.agricultural-robotics.com/
GOFAR | Global Organization For Agricultural Robotics
A non-profit organization to promote and develop the
agricultural robotics sector at international level. Like
RobAgri, whose objective is to facilitate the technical
development of agricultural robots, GOFAR meets the
increasing need for visibility and networking of the
agricultural robotics sector.

The comparison by Fountas et al.
Ag Robotics for Field Operations
January 7, 2022
54
Fountas, S., Mylonas, N., Malounas, I., Rodias,
E., Hellmann Santos, C., & Pekkeriet, E. (2020).
Agricultural Robotics for Field Operations.
Sensors, 20(9), 2672.
https://doi.org/10.3390/s20092672
Comprehensive comparison of
agricultural robots per field
operation. Example of weeding

Some robot examples
Not exhaustive at all
January 7, 2022
55

Faster and greater collection for faster and
better algorithm training
Data collection is crucial
data collection
• intensified through the wealth of embedded sensors on every
type of recent equipment
• dramatic increase in resolution of airborne sensors
• steady development of the internet of things
➔ new cyber-physic frontiers ready for edge computing
data use
Training machine learning algorithms, eventually being capable
to characterize and reproduce practices that were once in the
only realm of physical practical experience of farmers.
 SentiV by Meropy, a rover for data scouting. InnovAgri 2021 CC BY D. Rizzo
January 7, 2022
56

FD20 de Farmdroïd (DK)
Davide Rizzo 2021, CC BY 4.0
January 7, 2022
57

AgBot de AgXeed (NL)
January 7, 2022
58

Robotti d’AgroIntelli (DK)
January 7, 2022
59

Céol by AgreenCulture (FR)
The Céol autonomous
tool carrier from
Agreenculture, which has
signed a digital portal
development agreement
with Pellenc
Also exposed on the
Nobili Electronics stand
EIMA, Bologne, 2021
January 7, 2022
60

Dedalo by Field Robotics (IT)
A prototype that relies on high stability
Again, with a Nobili Electronics sprayer
January 7, 2022
61

Dood, EarthAutomations (IT)
January 7, 2022
62

A grass mower for weeding in artichoke
Creative use of existing robots
January 7, 2022
63
Gagliardi, L., Sportelli, M., Frasconi, C.,
Pirchio, M., Peruzzi, A., Raffaelli, M., &
Fontanelli, M. (2021). Evaluation of
Autonomous Mowers Weed Control Effect in
Globe Artichoke Field. Applied Sciences,
11(24), 11658.
https://doi.org/10.3390/app112411658

And the UK?
January 7, 2022
64

Wilma governs three actuators
DICK per plant
management
HARRY is for seeding
TOM data scouting
WILMA
Fed by TOM to pilot DICK & HARRY
https://www.smallrobotcompany.com/
January 7, 2022
65

The AI « bunch » of algorithm
« She » is Wilma
https://www.smallrobotcompany.com/
January 7, 2022
66

Hands Free Hectare
http://www.handsfreehectare.com/
Automated machines growing the first arable crop remotely, without
operators in the driving seats or agronomists on the ground.
Harper Adams University
January 7, 2022
67

January 7, 2022
68
Source : screenshot from https://youtu.be/5dWJ0jhm7nI par The Hands Free Hectare, 2018

January 7, 2022
69
https://www.handsfree.farm/

Based on the Hands-free hectare and farm
Field economics from the UK
January 7, 2022
70
Lowenberg-DeBoer, J., Behrendt, K., Godwin, R., &
Franklin, K. (2019, April 15). The Impact of Swarm
Robotics on Arable Farm Size and Structure in the UK.
93rd Annual Conference of the Agricultural Economics
Society, University of Warwick, UK.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332653186_The
_Impact_of_Swarm_Robotics_on_Arable_Farm_Size_and
_Structure_in_the_UK
Lowenberg-DeBoer, J., Franklin, K., Behrendt, K., &
Godwin, R. (2021). Economics of autonomous equipment
for arable farms. Precision Agriculture.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11119-021-09822-x

An agronomic evaluation
of the ag robots
January 7, 2022
71

Ag robotics: 3 main missions
Assistant robots
collaborating with
humans to realize a
physical task
Decision robots
that support human
decision-making
Substitution robots
that replace humans to
realizate a physical task
Ladybirdby the University of Sydney
http://bit.ly/2MVfHpy Effibot, CC-BY-SA-4.0 Scailyna, 2016
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:In
norobo_2015_-_Effidence_-_Effi-
bot_02.jpg
DINO weeding robot by Naïo Technologies,
CC-BY 4.0 D. Rizzo, 2017
January 7, 2022
72

Soil centrality is the turning point
Soil-centered devices vs Soil-less for bioregenerative life support systems
January 7, 2022
73

Small
Petites
surfaces,
essaims
Medium
Poids +/- 2t
Big
Robotization du
tracteur + TIM*
Fonte:
adattato
da
presentazione
RobAgri,
Lebars
2018
* TIM Tractor Implement
Management – gestion du
tracteur par l’outil
January 7, 2022
74

An agronomic typology of robots
Dedicated tools
e.g., FD20 by Farmdroid
Weight distribution
e.g., AgBot by AgXeed
Easier
steering
January 7, 2022
75

Some examples seen from an agronomist
Robot market state of art, example for a cereal-like cropping system: lines represent individual robots, and dots
identify the task(s) addressed by each robot.
Rizzo, Davide, Thomas Chartier, and Arthur Sarazin. 2021. ‘Field Crop Robotics:
Bibliometric Overview andAgronomic State-of-the-Art’. P. 2 in Evoluzione dei
sistemi agronomici in risposta alle sfide globali. Udine: SIA - Società Italiana di
Agronomia.
January 7, 2022
76

«Do I think todays’
farmers need a robot?
I think today’s robots
need a farmer!»
Identifying landmarks in the
high pace robot landscape
will enhance the agronomic
evaluation and enable a
clearer understanding of
robot relevance for
farmers.
Rod Karter
Cattle farmer, Australia February 2018
ABC Catalyst 2018, Farmer Needs A Robot
http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/4792106.htm
https://youtu.be/oxpZ1c7TsPI
January 7, 2022
77

January 7, 2022
78
Thank you for your attention!
@dav_rizzo
davide.rizzo@unilasalle.fr

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Suggested citation: Rizzo D. (2022) An overview of weeding by robots with a focus on European
solutions [Matthew Cutulle, Ed.] Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference. Planning Grant
Meeting-Robotic Weed Control in Specialty Crops, January 7, Savannah GA and online.
Copyright: © 2022 Rizzo D. This is an open access document distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution License Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0). This
license permits free use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original authors
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An overview of weeding by robots – focus on European solutions

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