The Farmers Mart Feb-Mar 2018 - Issue 55 | Page 62

62 TECHNOLOGY FEB/MAR 2018 • farmers-mart.co.uk AGRICULTURAL AUTOMATION In recent years technology has gone from strength to strength, and farming has seen a growth in technological innovation. Automation and AI are revolutionising the way all industries work and how people are employed. The technology revolution has been quietly changing the farming industry for the last 10 years or so. IN the 1980’s there was a tech- nological shift towards ‘Precision Farming’, tractors first started to utilise GPS devices and on-board computers. The shift focused on maximising returns whilst utilising minimum resources. Self-driving cars have become one of the current technological advances that several companies are chasing, now many farm ma- chinery manufacturers are devel- oping autonomous tractors along with other AI driven machines. Autonomous tractors will imple- ment many of the same features that are utilised by other forms of driver less vehicles. Many tractors already implement auto steering systems for additional control in low visibility. GPS is being utilised to guide tractors across the field, saving fuel and being more effi- cient, and this is a step closer to fully automated tractors. ‘ “Our robots will seed and care for each individual plant in your crop. They will only feed and spray the plants that need it, giving them the perfect levels of nutrients and support, with no waste. ’ The idea of a driverless tractor isn’t a new, as far back as 1940 Frank W Andrew in the US invent- ed his own version. To guide the tractor Frank would place a bar- rel or fixed wheel in the centre of a field, around it would wind a cable attached to a steering arm on the front of the tractor. In the 1950’s Ford developed a driver- less concept called ‘The Sniffer’ but were unable to put the idea into production. Due to the only way it could be operated was to place wires underground of the field. The advantage of a driverless tractor is the ability to work well into the night, practically running 24 hours a day, a driver requires rest, plus in the dark its harder to be accurate. Whereas an automated tractor has sensors that allow them to operate in the dark and still be accurate. Now the technology has moved to the point where autonomous tractors are possible and not something from a science fiction movie. With the global population expected to grow from 7.3 billion to 9.7 billion by 2050, farmers are under growing pressure to feed this expanding population. The question is, how does the farmer feed the masses, the answer is precision farming. Many experts believe that agriculture will need to embrace new technology to feed the growing global popu- lation. One area that currently being developed is robotic automation. “The most pressing reason that farmers should consider agritech robotics is profit. 85% of farms are not viable without subsidies, and farms are getting less prof- itable. Revenues and yields for combinable crops have remained steadily flat for a quarter of a century. Margins are static at 1-4% per annum. But production costs keep going up - and so do prices for big, expensive, machinery. “Then there are environmental considerations. Current farming practices are having a negative