READY, TECH , GROW
The Rise of Agbots
The farms of tomorrow may no longer need people to
grow crops at all. Today, drone-like autonomous robots
are being used to perform tasks like planting seeds,
tending crops, and harvesting. A variety of drone farmhands are starting to hit the market. Micro-seed planters, drone tractors, and weed-eating robots are slowly
creeping into the agricultural mainstream. The idea is
to create a swarm of automated robots controlled by a
central AI that removes the possibility of human error
and adapts to conditions to maximize yields and drastically cut time and increase efficiency. Automated
farming machines work much like driverless cars.
They are coordinated by GPS technology that precisely
controls their locations and functions. The use of GPS
technology is part of a much larger trend in farming
known as precision agriculture. Precision agriculture
has a few different names, including satellite farming
and site-specific crop management (SSCM). Precision
agriculture takes the most precise readings in topographic data and then combines it with sensor data on
the ground to give a precise picture of crop needs. It
is broken into four phases: data collection, analysis of
variables, development of strategies, and implementation of practices. In the end, precision agriculture looks
to maximize efficiency through precise data analysis
using cutting-edge technology.
“
New technology allows us to better
understand our land, the soil, and ultimately, our crops.“
Automation, however,
does not solve the
problem of space. Along
with modern technology,
new systems of
agriculture, such as
vertical farming,
are gaining in
popularity as ways
to maximize yields
in a fraction of the
space that traditional
farms take up. As
technology progresses,
its contribution to
securing our food supply
has been undeniable.
New technology allows
us to better understand
our land, the soil, and
ultimately, our crops.
It is with this better
understanding that we
can refine our methods
and techniques that
will ultimately lead to
more efficient systems
of production.
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Maximum Yield USA  |  January 2017