Robotic Following Cart to Replace Light Duty Tractor Tasks?

[daugen]

It's very satisfying to see you continuously improve your robotic cart.
I don't play golf so never knew it was active there, but it seems I may be met by a little robot
at the airport some day:
How AI is making business travel better - CNN

 

[candersen10]

Would anyone here want something that could autonomously spray? If yes, what sorts of applications?

 

[TheMadOne]

Would anyone here want something that could autonomously spray? If yes, what sorts of applications?

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Targeting weeds in hay fields is the first thing that jumped into my brain. Horse people would pay a lot of money to ensure the quality and safety of their feed.

 

[daugen]

I pull a gas powered sprayer behind my garden tractor to do my fruit orchard, about 25 trees, and invariably I got a blast of spray
on me when the wind goes the wrong way. Most of my spray is dormant oil and neem oil and other things nontoxic, but standard fruit tree spray requires a mask.

Filling that gizmo up with spray and sending it on down the line might be nice, but my trees aren't uniform. I'm sure you need uniform tree/crop
placement for this to work based on sophistication of radar. It would have to turn on and off a lot.

Now...if I could put liquid fertilizer in it and send it on down my long rows of potatoes, now you've got my interest.
Easier than sidedressing with a tractor, though that's why I have a Super A.

 

[candersen10]

I pull a gas powered sprayer behind my garden tractor to do my fruit orchard, about 25 trees, and invariably I got a blast of spray
on me when the wind goes the wrong way. Most of my spray is dormant oil and neem oil and other things nontoxic, but standard fruit tree spray requires a mask.

Filling that gizmo up with spray and sending it on down the line might be nice, but my trees aren't uniform. I'm sure you need uniform tree/crop
placement for this to work based on sophistication of radar. It would have to turn on and off a lot.

Now...if I could put liquid fertilizer in it and send it on down my long rows of potatoes, now you've got my interest.
Easier than sidedressing with a tractor, though that's why I have a Super A.

We have autonomous row following (Burro Following Rows - YouTube) so this is doable. Suspect in big commercial operations they are doing that with a self propelled sprayer though?

 

[TheMadOne]

We have autonomous row following (Burro Following Rows - YouTube) so this is doable. Suspect in big commercial operations they are doing that with a self propelled sprayer though?

Most self propelled sprayers are strictly for topdressing. A few orchard models exist, but most big commercial orchards use pull-type cyclone sprayers and cab tractors.

 

[candersen10]

Most self propelled sprayers are strictly for topdressing. A few orchard models exist, but most big commercial orchards use pull-type cyclone sprayers and cab tractors.

In potatoes would think if people side-dress they'd use a front boom sprayer with side dressing attachment?

 

[daugen]

In potatoes would think if people side-dress they'd use a front boom sprayer with side dressing attachment?

pun intended, I'm small potatoes and don't have that kind of equipment.
Makes sense, so you can see what you are doing.

 

[candersen10]

Burro works as an outdoor autonomous tow tractor. Any applications come to mind with something like this capability?

 

[daugen]

Very impressive, am assuming you did this through a memory function; i.e. follow me once and them memorize this route?

Liked fact dog did not confuse it though I wonder how it would halt/brake that line of carts in a must stop now situation.
What kind of tires are you running on it now?

Could one go pick up and retrieve parking lot shopping carts ?