Agriculture

Agricultural weeding is a costly and labor-intensive task, and chemical methods, while effective, are expensive and often have negative environmental consequences associated with them. Sensing a business opportunity and a chance for promoting social good, a number of companies offering robotic weeding systems have entered the market. Compared to traditional approaches, their solutions reduce the cost and environmental impact of weeding operations.

Greater sensing, data collection and deep learning that exploit farmers’ collective wisdom can enable closed-loop control systems that deliver on the promise of true autonomy on the farm. Such autonomy, including autonomous plowing, would free up precious time for the farmer, and deliver greater agricultural yield and consistency of outcome.

The total number of robotics transactions held steady year over year, but the autonomous vehicle and manufacturing automation providers received less investment. Healthcare systems, field robots, and drones got funding in September 2020.

Despite the ongoing pandemic, robotics investment and acquisition activity did not slow down in August 2020, with funding flowing to autonomous vehicles, industrial automation, and drones.

Farming is a major emitter of greenhouse emissions. But a whole host of companies are working on methods of reducing the environmental impact of farming by altering farming methods, and employing new technologies, including robotics systems.

The novel coronavirus pandemic slowed global manufacturing as investors look to the future of transportation.

Industrial Robot’s Joanne Pransky sits down with Vision Robotics COO to discuss the company’s road to developing robotic pruners, weeders and lettuce thinners.

Drone providers AeroVironment and Draganfly are widening distribution of the Quantix Mapper system, just in time for planting season in the Northern Hemisphere.

Field robots, industrial automation, self-driving vehicles, and healthcare systems received funding in February 2020.

AeroVironment, which claims to be the largest supplier of drones to the U.S. military, is also an example of a pure-play robotics company that is profitable.

In January 2020, robotics investments and mergers and acquisitions showed continued strength across applications, even as economic challenges affected manufacturing and food service robots.

As states continue to legalize cannabis, increased demand will likely drive the adoption of automation and robotics.

Made in the U.S., the RangePro X8 offers commercial and industrial applications across several markets for inspection, surveying, and first response scenarios.

Company releases new UAV and updated aerial methane inspection package.

System designed for commercial surveying and 3D mapping applications.

New applications and robots that continue to shape vertical industries.

At RoboBusiness 2019, robot company veterans will share their tales.

International Federation of Robotics provides stats on industrial robots, service robots, and cobots.

Autonomous mobile robots assist farmers with weeding, crop analytics.

New research predicts $10 billion market by 2030, with a $101 billion overall market for drone services.

Drone-stabilized system offers real-time tracking, object identification and data harvesting features.

New robot, interface and work cell system expands welding uses for industrial applications.

Recent robotics awards have been given out for innovation in piece picking, UV disinfection of hospital spaces, and agricultural product packing.

Investments will help company scale up AI systems for manned, unmanned aircraft.

Optimism abounded at last week’s AUVSI-sponsored event in the unmanned systems space, but they also acknowledged challenges ahead.