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Agricultural robots—system analysis and economic feasibility

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Abstract

This paper focuses on the economic feasibility of applying autonomous robotic vehicles compared to conventional systems in three different applications: robotic weeding in high value crops (particularly sugar beet), crop scouting in cereals and grass cutting on golf courses. The comparison was based on a systems analysis and an individual economic feasibility study for each of the three applications. The results showed that in all three scenarios, the robotic applications are more economically feasible than the conventional systems. The high cost of real time kinematics Global Positioning System (RTK-GPS) and the small capacity of the vehicles are the main parameters that increase the cost of the robotic systems.

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Acknowledgements

This project is part of the Agrobotics project funded by the Danish Technical Research Council. We appreciate the assistance we received about technical issues from associate professor Hans Werner Griepentrog, KVL, Scientists Ivar Lund, Henning Søgaard, Claus G. Sorensen at DIAS and Green keeper Mette Glarborg, Skjoldenæsholm Golf Club.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Danish Research Institute of Food Economics, KVL, Rolighedsvej 25, 1958, Frederiksberg C, Denmark

    S. M. Pedersen

  2. Department of Soil Science, KVL, Hojbakkegaard Alle 2, 2630, Taastrup, Denmark

    S. Fountas, H. Have & B. S. Blackmore

Authors
  1. S. M. Pedersen
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  2. S. Fountas
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  3. H. Have
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  4. B. S. Blackmore
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Correspondence to S. M. Pedersen.

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Pedersen, S.M., Fountas, S., Have, H. et al. Agricultural robots—system analysis and economic feasibility. Precision Agric 7, 295–308 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11119-006-9014-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11119-006-9014-9

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