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The FarmDroid FD20 was developed with one specific aim; to manage weed control more effectively and sustainably, thereby using technology for the greater good of farmers and planet earth!
It is an autonomous, innovative field robot that seriously reduces or eliminates labour costs when weeding. All the seeding and weeding is done in an environmentally friendly way. It uses high precision GPS seeding to pin point the position of each seed, making weeding possible both between rows as well as between plants in the row. It is energy independent, powered by solar panels and is CO2 neutral.
The automatic, lightweight, field robot automates sowing and weed removal without causing structural damage to the soil. Headlands and wheelings are relegated to the past and no longer cause reduction in yields.
This revolution in weed management makes investing in a FarmDroid an attractive business case with a return on investment down to as little as two years.
FEATURES & BENEFITS
Solar powered - green technology
The sun is the source of energy for the FarmDroid, making it energy independent. The four solar panels deliver up to 1.6kWh, equivalent to 20 kWh per day and the surplus energy is stored in the lithium batteries. They generate enough power for 18-24 hours of daily operation, depending on weather and working conditions.
The direct propulsion consists of two electric motors, producing a total of 800w. This drives the FarmDroid up to a maximum of 950m per hour and makes it capable of seeding or weeding up to 6ha (approx. 15 acres) per day. There are no emissions, meaning a FarmDroid operates in a completely carbon-neutral way.
Fully automatic - GPS technology
The FarmDroid FD20 knows the location of every single plant. The robot places each seed in a perfect pattern and it knows where each drilled seed is located. This is made possible through the use of high-precision GPS technology. The FarmDroid takes care of sowing and subsequent weeding without need of monitoring via a camera.
Row distance, plant distance, sowing depth, speed, and tolerances can all be adjusted to fit various crops, various types of soil and the farmer’s individual wishes.
The FarmDroid has been developed to be able to handle various crops which means you can use the same machine for e.g. sugar beet and onions. So far, we have experience with sugar beet, fodder beet, onions, spinach, kale, flower seeds, and OSR, and more crops are added continuously. Contact us to learn more about the seeding and weeding possibilities, or if you have a crop that you are considering using a FarmDroid for that we have not listed above, we'd be happy to discuss what's possible.
Precision seeding unit
The seeding unit comprises a six-litre hopper, metering unit and double-disc coulter, designed to plant to up to 5cm depth into a fine tilth.
The seeding disc drops the seed onto a seed valve and when traveling across the field the seed valve will open to place the seed into the soil, at precisely the right moment so that the correct spacing for the desired plant population is achieved. This is pre-determined so that the FarmDroid knows where every seed is placed.
The seed beam sensor that sits below the seed valve counts and monitors every seeding operation. The customer can remotely monitor this via the FarmDroid app on their mobile phone/device.
EASY TO SET-UP
The FarmDroid works autonomously when sowing and weeding the crops. From the sowing process, the robot knows the position of every seed and therefore knows where it subsequently must weed – and just as importantly: where not too. It operates fully automatically and can be remotely monitored.
A FarmDroid can stop itself whilst working and sends an email or notification to the operator in case of rain or other deviations. This gives the operator confidence and peace of mind when working with an autonomous, remote machine.
Areas for ecological agriculture rise year on year and simultaneously the focus on reducing pesticides in conventional farming increases. Therefore, there is a continuously increasing focus on and need for mechanical weed control in agriculture.
Robot set-up is simple with the HMI control unit:
- Map a field - at setup, the field’s corner points are marked
- Mark any obstacles in the field such as trees, power poles etc.
- Select the A-B line
- Select the working width
- Choose the number of headland passes required
- Select seed placement width - the sowing distance (distance between the crops in the row) and set the sowing depth
- Select ”START”
- Watch the machine at work!
FarmDroid has been developed with the focus on automatizing mechanical weed control between the rows and in-between the plants. This is, in ecological agriculture, most often done by manual labour. The labour costs per hectare are large, the work is exhausting, and a general lack of manual work force in agriculture makes it difficult for farmers to produce economically sustainable crops.
Precise weeding ensures an increased yield
Inter and intra-row weeding! This offers precision weed control both between the rows and between the plants within the rows to ensure that the crop has optimal growth conditions without having to compete with weeds for nutrition and sunlight.
Organic growers across northern Europe – and in the UK – have seen some fairly dramatic results where using the FarmDroid. They’re reporting increases in beet yields of 40-60% over tractor-hoed crops and are putting this down to the combination of precise seed placement and intra-row weed control making for uniform crop development.
Combined with the savings in herbicides, fuel, labour, and machinery costs, the financial argument for a FarmDroid is a strong one, especially as the purchase price and ongoing running costs are a fraction of those associated with the traditional machinery used to do the job.
Blind weeding
FarmDroid uses high-precision GPS technology so it does not depend on cameras or sensors to recognise plants and weeds. Precision during sowing ensures that the robot knows the exact position of every individual plant and therefore it can start the weeding process at a very early stage – even before the crop starts germinating! The process of blind weeding means that weeds do not compete with the crop from the get go.
Protect the soil's structure
The FarmDroid has the lightest footprint possible - good for soil health and the bottom line - headlands aren’t run down with the result that yields are maintained across the entire cropped area.
Seed, weed & spray up to 40ha,
whilst you get on with something else!
- Robotic mechanical weeding
- Reduce labour and fuel costs
- Carbon neutral operation
- Spot spraying saves up to 94% of chemical costs
CROP TIMELINE - ONIONS
Growing onions in clusters
For the first time, 2022 saw a commercial onion grower in the East of England approach their onion crop in a completely new and autonomously powered way – trusting in a FarmDroid.
Before the FarmDroid was put to work, the seedbed in the 8ha field was prepared and then mapped, taking into account natural obstacles to remove them from the cropping area.
Other than checking on the FarmDroid robot by keeping tabs on it via the mobile phone app and topping up the seed hoppers, labour was kept to a minimum. Being solar powered, no diesel was used in the production of these onions!
Below is a timeline highlighting the crops development alongside some of the dates where seeding and weeding took place throughout the 2022 season.
Robotic Mechanical Weeding - SFI Scheme Eligibility
£150 per hectare
If farming in England, you could receive an additional £12,000 per year* (based on 40ha spring crop and a 40ha winter crop) for using your FarmDroid FD20 to mechanically weed your crops. This could be achieved through the Sustainable Farming Incentives robotic mechanical weeding action which pays growers £150/ha.
*SFI payment based on 80ha, e.g. 40ha spring Sugar Beet crop and 40ha winter OSR crop.
FARMDROID MODELS
Fully autonomous farming robot
The FarmDroid FD20 empowers you to improve plant growth effortlessly. No need to invest in separate seeding systems, mechanical weeding tools or organise manual labour.
The FD20 handles it all while being carbon efficient and sustainable. Its solar-powered and lightweight design reduces fuel costs and prevents soil compaction, unlike heavier machinery. As the perfect field keeper, the FarmDroid FD20 lets you focus on other farm tasks while ensuring optimal crop care - from seeding to harvest.
The robot helps eliminate or significantly reduce the need for tiring and time-consuming manual weeding.
With in-row and inter-row action it eliminates weeds both between the rows and between the crop plants. Capable of working closely up to each seedling, the FarmDroid's weeding system means it does the complete job so there is no need for hand-rogueing of problem weeds like fan-hen (saving c.£250/ha)..
It can work up within 5mm of each seedling between the rows and 20mm in the row.
| TECHNICAL INFOMATION |
|
| Working width |
Up to 3m |
| Recommended capacity |
Up to 20ha* for veg Up to 40ha* for Sugar Beet with additional power pack |
| Crops | Sugar beet, beetroot, onions, spinach, OSR, and different herbs** |
| Maximum speed highly automated mode | 950 m/h |
| Maximum speed manual Mode | 1100 m/h |
| Maximum recommended pitch for operation | 8 % (Depending on soil type, wetness, and general properties) |
| Maximum recommended roll for operation | 5 % (Depending on soil type, wetness, and general properties) |
| Seed box capacity | 6 litres per seed box |
| Row distance | Configurable between 22,5-75cm |
| Tool | Configurable with 4 to 8 active rows and 8 to 4 passive rows |
| Robot weight | 900 kg incl. batteries |
| Max allowed extra weight | Max 4 x 35 kg |
| Max total robot weight | 1050 kg |
| Operating temperature | 0-40 Celsius degree |
| Storage temperature | Below 60 dB (A) |
| General expected lifetime | More than 10 years for main components following professional maintenance |
*Capacity depends on row spacing and working width
**More crops will be added on a continuous basis
OPTIONS & ACCESSORIES
With wheels running in the same tracks front to rear, the 4 wheel unit can effectively straddle the crop, enabling it to plant seed into flat beds and return subsequently to weed the plant without running any crop down.
This option is a factory fit only.
For more information on the benefits of the 4-wheel version, click here.
Are you considering buying your first field robot and looking for tools to make your experience even smoother? The Field Setup Tool is designed for easy field mapping, eliminating the need to manually move your FarmDroid when setting up the field at the beginning of the season.
The Field Setup Tool connects to the FarmDroid App, allowing you to view a live map of your field as you record corner points and obstacles. Once the field is mapped, simply send the recorded data to your robot and begin seeding with your FarmDroid.
FarmDroid's weed-cutting discs allow for weeding closer to the row, safeguarding your young fragile plants during critical early growth stages. The adjustable discs delicately break the soil on each side of the row, ensuring emerging crops are not buried or damaged.
These 155mm diameter curved discs are made of hardened steel to withstand the rigours of fieldwork and are adjustable in gap (0 to 50 mm), angle (-10° to +10°), and working depth (0 to 30 mm) for tailored weeding.
The NEW 'A' share and 'L' blades help to slice and remove the more mature and stubborn weeds. This can be retro fitted to any FarmDroid robot.
For more information on these latest shares and blades which have been made available, click here.
Are you looking for a spot spraying robot for your farm? The FarmDroid, equipped with the +Spray system, combines modern and conventional weed control methods with exceptional precision.
Using RTK GPS technology and the FarmDroid's software, it stores the exact location of each sown seed, allowing it to micro-spray plant protection substances directly onto or around the plants where needed.
This targeted approach reduces the use of chemicals by up to 94%, benefiting the environment and reducing your operational costs at the same time. Depending on your farm’s needs, the robot can be configured for spot spraying to target small areas or band spraying to cover a narrow strip.
For more information on the +Spray applicator system, click here.
FARMDROID BROCHURE
Check out our latest full brochure by clicking the image below, download is available.
GALLERY
