There are many reasons farmers are increasingly adopting agricultural robots. From increasing labour shortages and costs to a rise in demand for higher food production, the current conditions present a great a great opportunity for the increase in use of robots in agriculture. In this article, we explore the future of robotic farming and opportunities UK farmers cannot afford to miss.
What are agricultural robots?
Agricultural robotics refers to machinery that is capable of carrying out a series of automated tasks and is deployed for agricultural purposes. Thanks to innovations in tech in recent years, agricultural robotics can bring automation, efficiency and precision when it comes to undertaking various tasks from oil sampling and weed control to planting seeds and harvesting.
What are agricultural robots used for?
Robots in agriculture can bring efficiency and cost savings to any task, big or small. From simple repetitive simple tasks to complex tasks, robots can be the perfect solution.
Below are some examples of existing agricultural robotics:
- Fruit picking robots
- Autonomous tractors
- Driverless sprayers
- Sheep shearing robots
- Weeding robots
- Seed planting drones
- Ariel imagery drones
- Soil sampling robots
Benefits of robots in agriculture
There are many advantages to adopting robots in agriculture. Unlike humans, robots can carry out tasks much quicker and without the need for breaks in between. This allows farmers to cut down costs and be more efficient. Also farmers have fallen victim to labour shortages caused by a decrease in seasonal farmworkers, but the use of robotics can combat this and reduce their reliance on and costs of labour.
Below are a few more benefits of leveraging agricultural robotics:
- Increased profitability
- Increased accuracy
- Waste reduction
- Cost-effectiveness
The future of agricultural robotics:
The first development of agricultural robots dates back to the 1920s and it’s fair to say this technology has come a long way since. According to research, the agricultural robotics market is expected to reach $11.58 billion by 2025 and is expected to see further growth in the coming decade. This means farmers can expect to see an increase in new developments coming to the surface to help them improve efficiency and profitability. It is predicted that such future developments when it comes to robots in agriculture will particularly involve self-driving cars.
Before you go…
Esus Agri Ltd has been helping farmers thrive since 1995. We have worked with farms from 40 ha to 100,000 ha, delivering sustainable solutions to enable the owners to achieve their goals. To find out how we can support you with farm business advice and step-by-step grants applications, get in touch today.
