Development of a Mobile Robotic Complex for Automated Monitoring and Harvesting of Agricultural Crops

Abstract

In this research work, the authors present the results of the development and research of a prototype of a mobile robotic platform with the possibility of autonomous/remote operation during crop harvesting and machine vision functions for fruit monitoring and detection. This complex allows automated detection of fruits of the required quality and type, as well as determining and comparing, on the basis of a series of virtual experiments, the productivity of the corresponding agricultural areas, taking into account the dynamics of climatic, meteorological and anthropogenic parameters. The proposed robotic complex also includes a specially designed mobile meteorological station that provides continuous collection of weather and climatic data simultaneously with data on the state of the biotechnospheric objects under study. To analyze heterogeneous information, a software package has been developed to assess the productivity of an agricultural area based on the qualitative condition and yield of the current or proposed crop. The functions of the mobile robotic complex in the implementation of automated collection, monitoring and detection of agricultural crops of a particular species in the Belgorod region are demonstrated, and recommendations for increasing the productivity of the territory under study are proposed.