Autonomous Farming

[PatrickCremona]

Hi there!

I'm a trainee journalist and I'm currently writing a feature about autonomous farming. I wondered if anyone on here would be able to answer some questions/ give me their opinions about the subject, or could put me in touch with someone who would be interested in speaking about it. Please let me know if you'd be interested.

 

[Formatted]

http://www.handsfreehectare.com/

 

[TechWise]

Any specific questions? I study electronic engineering as well as being from a farm so I have a bit of interest in the subject.

 

[TripleSix]

It's the future.

Not far away.

But it'll happen.

 

[yellow belly]

I am sure robotic tractor operation will be the future
but autonomous farming is another thing we would need consistent weather and gm crops first

 

[PatrickCremona]

Thanks for the answers so far, if anbody would be able to provide some answers to the following questions that would be much appreciated:

1. How quickly do you think autonomous farming could become widespread in the UK?
2. Overall, do you think developments in autonomous farming are positive or negative for farmers?
3. What are the main positives of autonomous farming?
4. What are the main negatives of autonomous farming?

Many Thanks

 

[spin cycle]

I am sure robotic tractor operation will be the future
but autonomous farming is another thing we would need consistent weather and gm crops first

can it go feed my sheep just now...cos it's raining and i'm cosied up........didn't think so

 

[Clive]

Thanks for the answers so far, if anbody would be able to provide some answers to the following questions that would be much appreciated:

1. How quickly do you think autonomous farming could become widespread in the UK?
2. Overall, do you think developments in autonomous farming are positive or negative for farmers?
3. What are the main positives of autonomous farming?
4. What are the main negatives of autonomous farming?

Many Thanks

1 - 5-10 years in the uk, earlier elsewhere, laws will be the limiting factor

2 - positive, especially for the environment and also financially

3 - not dealing with people and their limitations

4 - not dealing with people and their limitations

 

[Fossil]

1 - 5-10 years in the uk, earlier elsewhere, laws will be the limiting factor

2 - positive, especially for the environment and also financially

3 - not dealing with people and their limitations

4 - not dealing with people and their limitations

I think when you say positive for farmers you need to differentiate for farm workers. Not good for them!

 

[Clive]

I think when you say positive for farmers you need to differentiate for farm workers. Not good for them!

I think we are facing a shortage of farm workers in the future

People will still have a role, it will just be different.

If TFF had existed when the tractor started to replace the horse on the land I bet there would have been a similar thread to this one !

 

[Ben M]

I think when you say positive for farmers you need to differentiate for farm workers. Not good for them!

Could be very positive for farm workers. Good ones will be needed to manage and control all these robots etc. Could mean alot less hrs in the future for more money imo. More hrs at home with family, whilst controling things via their smart phone. Whats not to like?

 

[Ben M]

The auto tractor is nearly here, but to me thats not the exciting bit in the slightest. Its so many mundane, time consuming jobs that we can more or less automise tomorrow if money was no object. The auto tractor is just the tip of the ice berg. Our smart phone is probably already the most powerful tool on the farm, it will only get stronger.

 

[TechWise]

I would expect to see the majority of arable work automated within the next decade or so. To a certain extent, mundane and repetitive tasks such as rolling, ploughing, power harrowing etc have already been partly automated by auto steer.

Automating livestock farming though is still a LONG way off, indeed it may be a hundred years before we come up with an AI advanced enough to cope with the seemingly random actions of animals. Imagine a robot trying to shear a sheep when no two sheep are the same size and shape nor behave in the same manner throughout the process.

 

[Pigken]

So if all of this is smart phone controlled how can we expect the current upcoming generation to enhance it, they only see phone as social media management tool or stalking their friends through snap chat etc, we will trust them to manage somet

 

[Clive]

The auto tractor is nearly here, but to me thats not the exciting bit in the slightest. Its so many mundane, time consuming jobs that we can more or less automise tomorrow if money was no object. The auto tractor is just the tip of the ice berg. Our smart phone is probably already the most powerful tool on the farm, it will only get stronger.

Not nearly, it is here already

You can walk into a dealership in Japan and buy a fully autonomous Kubota today. These machines are working commercially already in other countries

 

[Cowabunga]

Arable farming is fairly straightforward to further automate given the capital and technology to do so. It will further reduce food prices in the medium term and therefore inevitably the margin per unit of farm physical output.

Livestock is much more difficult to further automate while making real savings. Scale of operation is the key here and commercially successful farms are likely to continue to increase in size, but autonomous farming and livestock are not compatible. Some gradual further mechanisation, yes, of course.

 

[Ben M]

Not nearly, it is here already

You can walk into a dealership in Japan and buy a fully autonomous Kubota today. These machines are working commercially already in other countries

Now that doesnt surprise me in the slightest clive tbh, again we are lagging behind already.

 

[Lazy Sod]

What's the definition of autonomous farming?

 

[Pond digger]

Precision weeding, both with and without chemicals: good for farming and the environment. We could keep lots of little robots employed.

Less compaction hopefully, as well.

 

[CopperBeech]

Why is this a good thing? Sounds like a bloody miserable way to farm!