Brave New World: autonomous farm vehicles

In the Burgundy region of France, inventor Christophe Millot has already successfully created a vine-pruning robot. Developed in response to a labour shortage, the four-wheeled gadget is made up of six cameras, two arms and a computer. The machine is able to learn as it goes and carries out routine tasks in the vineyard. Upscaling this type of autonomous technology for large scale agriculture is a giant leap but pioneering projects are already underway.

In a recent article in the Spectator, inventor James Dyson talks about using drones to identify weeds and nesting marsh harriers among the crops of his 33,000 acre estate. The drone’s data is then inserted into a self-driving tractor which sprays specific areas of the field with whatever treatment is needed.

Autonomous technology may not be limited to spraying however. A research team at Harper Adams University has recently set about creating an autonomous tractor which can perform tasks like drilling, seeding and spraying land. All with detailed precision and accuracy. The driver is not behind the wheel but in a control room. The same team is now working on an automated combine harvester.

John Deere is also looking at autonomous farm vehicles. They are developing a prototype for a solar-powered tractor that works autonomously overnight and takes itself to a solar powered charging station where it uses daylight to charge itself up, before setting off again.

With huge advances in the level and accuracy of data already supplied to agricultural vehicles, remote driving is perhaps the next logical step. The tractor driver may eventually be replaced by a fleet manager and agricultural analyst, managing a number of drones and other farm robots which capture detailed information on every inch of a farm. With meticulous detail, they will then be able to spray and treat fields accurately on a metre by metre basis. They may even be used for harvesting crops.

Perhaps it is a Brave New World few of us are yet ready for. But there is no ignoring the role that autonomous farm vehicles are likely to play in the future. If considering any level of autonomous on-farm technology (including drones) it is important to discuss the insurance options with your broker to ensure the equipment is adequately covered in your farm schedule.