TRENDS IN ROBOTISATION OF MOBILE AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT

Abstract

Summary The purpose of this article is research of the level of development and features of agricultural robots offered by global manufacturers and directions of robotics and their technological use in field crop rotations;the structuring and assessment of the prospects for the use of robotic agricultural autonomous means (robots) in field crop rotation. Methods: сase-studies of robotic agricultural autonomous means (robots) that are proposed for the use of mechanized processes in field crop rotations; structuring of technical solutions of robots according to their technological features and energy sources; analysis of navigation algorithms, sensor systems, artificial intelligence and other important components that are characteristic of field robots; identification of key developers/manufacturers of field robots, features of their proposed directions of robotics and technological use in field crop rotations; assessing the prospects for the application of field robots and the technological benefits of their application and taking into account the challenges such as legal aspects, safety and acceptance of the technology by farmers. Results. The conducted factor analyzes of the structural elements of field robots show that both traditional tractors and special chassis are used to transform energy into traction and drive capacity, and different levels of sensor and software are achieved. This made it possible to assess the autonomy levels of field robots and predict the scope of application depending on the power. The tractor, retrofitted with sensors and appropriate programs, provides semi-autonomous performance of basic operations in a unit with traditional agricultural machines in field crop rotations, but the presence of a person is still mandatory. Conclusions. New directions for the development of field robots use convergent technologies and are based on the deep modernization of tractors and the use of specially designed chassis with their own transmissions (concepts), the use of new energy sources and a significantly higher level of autonomy and remote control of work modes. Concepts are created as single designs and are oriented towards the performance of separate operations in a unit with agricultural machines, or with special attachments for working bodies and even in single-row execution. As a rule, they have an electric transmission, but not high power, which narrows the scope of their application. Keywords: robotic agricultural tools, field robots, autonomous tractors, electric tractors, agricultural robots, control systems of agricultural tools, mobile autonomous tools.