A Review of the Research Progress of Pruning Robots

Automation and robotics have been applied in various fields of agriculture and forestry. However, most production operations agriculture and forestry still rely on manual labor, among which pruning is one of the most labor-intensive operations. Therefore, robotic pruning is a potential long-term solution to labor shortages and the associated high costs. Although agricultural and forestry pruning is gradually mechanized, the successful application of pruning robotics still faces many challenges. This paper focuses on the core components and key technologies of pruning robots in agriculture and forestry, including machine vision, manipulators, end-effectors, path planning, and obstacle avoidance. Finally, the challenges and potential opportunities faced by pruning robots in agriculture and forestry are discussed.