This proof of concept project sought to validate a commercially available field robot as a viable autonomous platform on New Zealand farms. Our aim was also to develop experience and expertise in this advancing area of interest.

This project was focused on Oz440, a smaller robotic platform developed by Naio Technologies in France and purchased by Selego Technologies. The platform was identified as a commercially available base for locally developed solutions and new high-tech services and exports.

The machine attracted considerable interest, despite being suited to much smaller operations than commonly found in New Zealand. As it is, we think there is a very small market in New Zealand, probably mainly in open ground nurseries. Oz440 can travel along rows of tall plants/trees that a tractor cannot straddle.

Farmers get engaged when they can see, touch and even programme a task on the machine. Their conversation moves to “perhaps not that machine, but if I could get one that did [write task here] it would be really good.” We have had a number of follow up conversations with farmers seeking more information about the Swiss ecoRobotix, Australian SwarmFarm and larger Naio Technologies machines.

As supplied, Oz440 is effectively a miniaturised tractor using conventional mechanical weed control tools. It does not sense weeds per se, but rather identifies rows and assumes them to be the crop.  Soil conditions must be good: dry enough to make hoeing effective, and flat enough that the machine can be easily controlled along the row.

Plant size is also critical. Small crop rows are recognised by the cameras, larger crops (100mm+) by the LiDAR system which also acts as an obstacle detector. If weeds get too big relative to the crop, they cannot be distinguished. If they get too tall, the LiDAR cannot be set high enough to avoid them so the machine constantly stops and sends error messages.

The cameras “see” green and are set to identify “red” posts as the ends of rows. Red lettuce plants did not get recognised as crop plants.

We have posted a short video of the machine on-line.