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DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY
Bringing autonomous agricultural machines to the field: What is required?
In the world of autonomy, we always refer to the last mile. This article proposes ways to confront the challenges of the last mile.
As researchers and develop- ers of autonomous agricultural machines at the University of New South Wales and Thornfield Robotics Pty. Ltd., we have iden- tified and understood the needs and aspirations of the farming community—the end users of these technologies. Opposing Factors First, many farmers perceive autonomous machines as pro- hibitively expensive to purchase and maintain. Second, they often
It is also well known that the development of autonomous vehicle technology has pro- gressed beyond the research stage and is now focused on creating practical, field-ready units for agricultural use. At the same time, there is clear evidence that established com- mercial enterprises are acquir- ing technologies developed by startups. This underscores the crucial role that startups play in advancing autonomous agri- cultural machinery.
There is ample evidence from around the world demonstrat- ing that autonomous agricul- tural vehicles are gradually making their way into farming operations. Although wide- spread deployment has yet to occur globally and major com- mercial players have not fully entered the large-scale au- tonomous equipment market, startups and small machinery developers have been actively conducting field trials of their inventions and innovations.
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