Robotic Innovations in Agriculture: Maximizing Production and Sustainability

1. Introduction

The agricultural sector plays a vital role in providing food for the global population through a range of practices in the agri-food chain, encompassing primary tasks such as soil plowing, sowing, spraying, weeding, harvesting, pumping, and drying, as well as secondary operations like storing and packaging (Gorjian et al., 2021). The integration of electronics and computing technologies has had a significant impact on agriculture. Modern agricultural machinery utilizes sensors and high-speed computers to optimize the application of crop inputs, including seeds, fertilizers, and chemicals, as well as facilitate the transfer of bio materials such as grain and biomass from fields to processing facilities (Bechar and Vigneault, 2017; Mao et al., 2020). Tractors, combines, wagons, loaders, pickups, and trucks are crucial components of the agricultural machinery landscape, performing various tasks and processes in farms of all scales worldwide (Malik and Kohli, 2020). While current agricultural tractors still require human supervision to ensure safety, the next generation of agricultural machines is expected to possess intelligence that allows them to learn, react, and make decisions for optimized crop management even in the absence of an operator. Agricultural machinery is evolving from simple mechanical devices to advanced autonomous machines capable of achieving potentially unlimited autonomy. This technological progression in agricultural machinery automation is set to continue as the global population approaches nine billion people by 2050, demanding increased food, fiber, and fuel production with limited resources and land availability (Xu et al., 2022). Efficient automated machine systems, including agricultural robotics, will play a crucial role in conducting field operations with maximum efficiency and productivity, aiming to enhance farm yields while minimizing environmental impacts (Gorjian et al., 2021).

Robotic equipments are used in a multitude of applications, ranging from shop floor assembly tasks in manufacturing plants to space exploration (Vaisi 2022). Some applications require the robots to perform monotonous repetitive activities, whereas others demand the exploration of unknown hazardous environments to accomplish complex tasks. In any case, the demand for robotics is increasing across various sectors and agricultural production is no exception. Researchers, equipment manufacturers, and producers around the world are recognizing that conventional automated agricultural equipment and robotics can be profitable in lieu of labor shortages, and the need for efficient resource management. Worldwide, automated conventional machinery and agricultural robots (agri-robots) are seen as key solutions for performing precise, efficient field operations (e.g., planting, fertilizer spreading, spraying, weed management, and harvesting) to increase productivity while reducing environmental impacts. In Asian countries like China, Japan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, India and Pakistan, the increasing average age of farmers and the migration of the younger generation to developing large cities are driving the demand for agricultural machine automation. The increasing need for productivity gains, emerging demand for organic crops, and the impending obligation to transform agriculture into a sustainable and environment-friendly practice are some of the major driving forces for the research, development, and adoption of highly automated systems and agri-robots. Economic feasibility, socioeconomics, and the liability aspects of agri-robots have to be addressed before they can be fully realizable in agricultural production.

Figure 1.

Application areas of robotics in agriculture