From robots to unmanned aircraft for agriculture

Moving slowly between rows of apple trees, two new workers are examining ripe and ground fruits to see if more fertilizer or irrigation water is needed.

These are 'Mantis' ( Mantis ) and 'Shrimp' (Shrimp), two agricultural robots that have been tested to perform simple tasks to cut costs, targeting an agricultural production with the effect economic results are higher in Australia, the country exports 39.6 billion dollars (38.8 billion USD) of agricultural products in 2012.

As a leading agricultural country, but with a minimum wage of AUD 15.96 per hour and a limited workforce, Australia has a big incentive to mechanize this industry with new technologies, such as robots. or unmanned aircraft. The huge Asian market is the target, with the middle class expanding and the need for fast, safe, high quality food products, from fruits to beef.

'Applying new technology is vital for Australia to continue its competitiveness in global agriculture - Luke Matthews, commodity trading strategist at Commonwealth Bank, Australia, said - If not applied Using new technology, we will not be able to turn ambitions with the giant Asian market into reality. '

Australian apple picking robot - (Photo: nbcnews.com)

Agriculture currently accounts for 2% of Australia's GDP, but the Canberra government expects this figure to reach 5% by 2050. Australia is now the world's second-largest wheat exporter, with the technology already applied to Productivity enhancements include satellite field-tracking photographs that help farmers determine the factors that affect soil performance in order to make optimal decisions in the treatment of fertilizers and irrigation water.

A really efficient fruit-harvesting robot has yet to materialize, but the initial steps are very promising. Salah Sukkarieh, professor of automation and technology at the University of Sydney, who developed Mantis and Shrimp robots, said he also wanted robots to perform more complex tasks like watering.

'We have installed robots with many sensors, radar, including GPS sensors and heat sensors' , Reuters quoted Sukkarieh. The technology will be the most widely used in fruit growing, the third largest agricultural sector in Australia with an export of $ 1.71 billion annually. The patented and unmanned robots and drones at the University of Sydney have completed some field trials at a farm in Mildura, Victoria, according to Sukkarieh.

With wheels and an adult-level height, Mantis robot has 16 color-sensing devices that can recognize 12 different color levels, helping to distinguish between ripe and unripe fruits. The human eye only distinguishes about four different color levels. The color distinction of fruits also helps robots identify watering and fertilizing.

'If tomorrow an apple, orange or tomato farmer wants a reliable and accurate harvest robot, we can provide it for six months or a year. The problem is to make them smarter, ' Sukkarieh explained. However, some farmers are also suspicious. "Apples are generally harvested by hand, as they are easily damaged and bruised ," said Lucinda Giblett, director of apple orchard Newton, Western Australia.