The Application of Intelligent Robotics and Smart Machines in Agriculture

Dear Colleagues,

Agricultural robotics has advanced significantly in recent years and is the core on which Agriculture 5.0 is based, together with artificial intelligence (AI). Its introduction in the field is slower than in the industrial sector, but it is necessary in order to meet current and future challenges such as labour shortages, increased production, efficiency in the application of the resources employed, or the improved safety and quality of work. Numerous research projects currently aim to employ robotics in the field to carry out certain tasks such as pruning, the application of phytosanitary products, sowing, harvesting and logistics or simply crop monitoring, as well as employ general-purpose robots that enable various tasks to be carried out via the incorporation of various implements. Whatever the task to be performed, the introduction of agricultural robotics requires, on the one hand, knowledge of the factors that influence the behaviour of robots in the field in order to assist in their design and implementation and, on the other hand, the application of the necessary technologies for autonomous navigation, the characterisation of the environment, and decision making in the face of events that may occur during field work.

In this Special Issue, our aim is to collect works related to the application of robotics in the agricultural field. It will address topics such as autonomous machinery, artificial intelligence applied to the performance of tasks, sensor technologies for the improvement of processes, intelligent work methodologies and cloud computing.

Dr. Rafael-Ruben Sola-Guirado
Dr. Sergio Bayano Tejero
Guest Editors

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• agricultural robotics
• agricultural robot
• agriculture 5.0