Robotic Following Cart to Replace Light Duty Tractor Tasks?

[2manyrocks]

While I don't have the personal need for that much sophistication, I could use a self guided hillside brush cutter if it were affordable. A Berta/BCS flail mower would work for my situation, but I'm not interested in having to walk behind a 2 wheel tractor for days cutting our slopes. If this task could be accomplished by a self guided machine or even a machine that was remote controlled, that would interest me.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

You're onto something good, keep working it.

Just a comparison, an 8 cubic foot muck truck is cheaper.

4 Wheel Power Drive and Dump Wheel Barrow - 8 Cubic Foot

I wish I had $5K of undesignated cash to order that for the wife today!

The electric power tools and vehicles for farm use can extend ones independency by years.

 

[breadjamez]

I shoot 2 gun and 3 gun matches and there might be a market for your product in that realm. It could carry ammo, guns, coolers and all the other stuff. I do believe that the price would have to be a lot lower than what you mentioned.

 

[daugen]

this really is the wave of the future for farming.
Either we grow and harvest our food with a lot of manual effort aka migrant labor, or
we somehow automate the process to cut down the need for employees. We will need techs not grunts.

Israel is having a terrible time right now getting harvest in because many migrant workers were either shot/killed/left after Hamas attacked.
No one to pick the harvest. Folks coming in from all around the country to help.

A machine keeps working usually no matter what.

 

[daugen]

Farmall Electric Tractor | Case IH

The Farmall electric tractor works with a revolutionary electric power source that brings eco-friendly efficiency and production for your farming operation.

www.caseih.com

I note this big 75hp electric tractor has a follow me mode also.
and an invisible bucket, that sure sounds interesting

 

[candersen10]

Now have Burro Grande in the wild:

On par with a BX or Deere 1023E in terms of towing power. Can dock to run 24/7. Planning a 48 inch electric mower deck for it Q4, but selling today into nurseries and permanent crops for trailer towing and harvest assist use today primarily. Carryings up to 1500 lbs, tows up to around 5000 lbs depending on conditions.

Can navigate indoors (GPS denied) and outdoors.

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

lately, as I age, I find myself asking at what cost vs what benefits??

A cart that follows me around the garden vs. me pulling my little wagon? I need the exercise so pulling the wagon no problems as it keeps me young and I can always use the $5k for something else.


Smart light bulbs? Why do I need to spend $40 on a bulb I control with a smart phone vs. controlling the bulb with a flick of a wall switch? Sure I could turn off / on while lying on a beach on the other side of the world but heck if I was lying on the beach why would I be thinking of the light in my bathroom anyways and does this value warrant the cost.


now if it makes commercial farming more efficient, lowers cost of manufacturing, etc... I fully get it and fully support but dam I don't need my fridge display pad, connecting to my stove, so that it can tell the dishwasher to start its cleaning cycle only when my solar panels at fully capacity output but only when my electric cars are not charging. All this for a home automation price of $50k?? this I don't get. (grouchily old man pic here)

 

[ning]

Smart light bulbs? Why do I need to spend $40 on a bulb I control with a smart phone vs. controlling the bulb with a flick of a wall switch? Sure I could turn off / on while lying on a beach on the other side of the world but heck if I was lying on the beach why would I be thinking of the light in my bathroom anyways and does this value warrant the cost.

I'm about to set up some smart switches because I added a couple lights on the outside of the house and garage where I couldn't tie them in to the existing light circuit; with "smarts" I'll be able to have these new lights come on with the other outside lights with the same flip of a switch. I'm not interested in the rest of the "smart" switch stuff... for the moment. I'm considering finding some way to remotely control the hot tub power though so that it can be automatically turned off if we lose the grid connection - I don't want to burn battery power on that.

 

[candersen10]

lately, as I age, I find myself asking at what cost vs what benefits??

A cart that follows me around the garden vs. me pulling my little wagon? I need the exercise so pulling the wagon no problems as it keeps me young and I can always use the $5k for something else.


Smart light bulbs? Why do I need to spend $40 on a bulb I control with a smart phone vs. controlling the bulb with a flick of a wall switch? Sure I could turn off / on while lying on a beach on the other side of the world but heck if I was lying on the beach why would I be thinking of the light in my bathroom anyways and does this value warrant the cost.


now if it makes commercial farming more efficient, lowers cost of manufacturing, etc... I fully get it and fully support but dam I don't need my fridge display pad, connecting to my stove, so that it can tell the dishwasher to start its cleaning cycle only when my solar panels at fully capacity output but only when my electric cars are not charging. All this for a home automation price of $50k?? this I don't get. (grouchily old man pic here)

Noted.

We're often seeing operations that are 100-500 acres per site, with 20-150+ Bx, L, deere 1E, and Deere 2E series Tractors. Each system often costs 150-200 dollars per day of operation including operator. At those economics, when we replace a person and tractor with a robot, it is almost instant payback. Most people seem to care about ROI mostly. Not the autonomy itself. In this case, the autonomy pays.

 

[Williy]

First I don't need anything like that as I use my tractor bucket
to haul things around also don't need something that I would
have to find a place to store it. My bucket will lift higher than
that cart even it it was capable to do so. And I don't need to
spend that kind of money when my tractor is all I need

willy