Robots versus pests (RHEA - Robot Fleets for Highly Effective Agriculture and Forestry Management)

Abstract

The RHEA project funded by the 7th EC Framework Programme is focused on the configuration of a new generation of automated and robotic systems for both chemical and physical management of pests. Indeed a fleet of small, heterogeneous cooperative robots (Unmanned Ground Vehicles, UGV and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, UAV) equipped with advanced perception systems, improved end-effectors and enhanced decision-making algorithms are already being tested and evaluated in three main stages: a) chemical control of weeds in winter wheat crops, b) physical control of weeds in maize crops, and c) application of pesticides in olive trees. The system is broken down into six main modules organized hierarchically: 1) mission manager, 2) graphic user interface, 3) perception system (aerial and ground), 4) actuation system (implements), 5) mobile units (UGVs and UAVs) and 6) localization and communication systems. The RHEA consortium joints a number of multidisciplinary, experienced researchers capable of improving individual scientific knowledge, but a large cooperation project is demanded to sum up the individual efforts in a holistic manner. The success of RHEA could bring a new means of applying automatic systems to agriculture and forestry crops with an important impact in improving the economy and environment as well as in maintaining the sustainability of rural areas by launching new technological jobs.