Swarm robots in mechanized agricultural operations: A review about challenges for research

Agricultural mechanization is an area of knowledge that has evolved a lot over the past century, its main actors being agricultural tractors that, in 100 years, have increased their powers by 3,300%. This evolution has resulted in an exponential increase in the field capacity of such machines. However, it has also generated negative results such as excessive consumption of fossil fuel, excessive weight on the soil, very high operating costs, and millionaire acquisition value. This paper aims to present an antiparadigmatic alternative in this area. It is proposing a swarm of small electric robotic tractors that together have the same field capacity as a large tractor with an internal combustion engine. A comparison of costs and field capacity between a 270 kW tractor and a swarm of ten swarm tractors of 24 kW each was carried out. The result demonstrated a wide advantage for the small robot team. It was also proposed the preliminary design of an electric swarm robot tractor. Finally, research challenges were suggested to operationalize such a proposal, calling on the Brazilian Robotics Research Community to elaborate a roadmap for research in the area of swarm robot for mechanized agricultural operations.

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Florida Agritourism Building and Fire Codes

EDIS ◽

10.32473/edis-wc349-2020 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Mary Beth Henry ◽

Kathryn A Stofer

Keyword(s):

Agricultural Education ◽

Local Governments ◽

Regulatory Authority ◽

Building Codes ◽

Bona Fide ◽

Agricultural Operations ◽

On Farm ◽

Fire Codes

Agritourism marries Florida’s two largest industries, tourism and agriculture, to provide an on-farm recreational experience for consumers. Although Florida trails many other states in the number of agritourism operations, the number of Florida farms offering recreational experiences more than doubled from 2007 to 2012. This new 4-page document describes building codes relevant to Florida agritourism operations. Written by Mary Beth Henry and Kathryn A. Stofer, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc349 A companion document, Florida’s Agritourism Laws, EDIS publication AEC623, Florida’s Agritourism Laws, http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc285, discusses Florida Statutes related to definitions, liability protections, and limits to regulatory authority of local governments over bona fide agricultural operations engaged in agritourism.

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Recent Advancements in the Detection of Organophosphate Pesticides: A Review

Analytical Methods ◽

10.1039/d1ay01186c ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Monika Bhattu ◽

Meenakshi Verma ◽

Deepika Kathuria

Keyword(s):

Organophosphorus Pesticides ◽

Organophosphate Pesticides ◽

Agricultural Operations

Organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) are generally utilized for the protection of crops from pests. Because the use of OPPs in various agricultural operations has expanded dramatically, precise monitoring of their concentration...

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A Technical Study on UAV Characteristics for Precision Agriculture Applications and Associated Practical Challenges

Remote Sensing ◽

10.3390/rs13061204 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (6) ◽

pp. 1204

Author(s):

Nadia Delavarpour ◽

Cengiz Koparan ◽

John Nowatzki ◽

Sreekala Bajwa ◽

Xin Sun

Keyword(s):

Precision Agriculture ◽

Weather Conditions ◽

Future Directions ◽

Radiometric Correction ◽

Practical Applications ◽

The Past ◽

Field Crops ◽

Advanced Technologies ◽

Technical Study ◽

Agricultural Operations

The incorporation of advanced technologies into Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) platforms have enabled many practical applications in Precision Agriculture (PA) over the past decade. These PA tools offer capabilities that increase agricultural productivity and inputs’ efficiency and minimize operational costs simultaneously. However, these platforms also have some constraints that limit the application of UAVs in agricultural operations. The constraints include limitations in providing imagery of adequate spatial and temporal resolutions, dependency on weather conditions, and geometric and radiometric correction requirements. In this paper, a practical guide on technical characterizations of common types of UAVs used in PA is presented. This paper helps select the most suitable UAVs and on-board sensors for different agricultural operations by considering all the possible constraints. Over a hundred research studies were reviewed on UAVs applications in PA and practical challenges in monitoring and mapping field crops. We concluded by providing suggestions and future directions to overcome challenges in optimizing operational proficiency.

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