"From self-steering tractors towards autonomous field robots" by Dr Thomas Engel - Manager Technology Innovation Strategy - John Deere

1. From self-steering
tractors towards
autonomous field robots
Dr. Thomas Engel
Manager Technology Innovation Strategy

2. | International Forum of Agricultural Robotics, Toulouse, December 20182
Agenda
• John Deere
• Automatic Steering Solutions
• Autonomous Vehicles
• Drivers
• Challenges
• Applications
• Swarm Technologies
• Role of Electrification
• Outlook & Summary

3. | International Forum of Agricultural Robotics, Toulouse, December 20183
–Headquarters: Moline,
Illinois, United States
–Employees worldwide: 60,480
–Total net sales and revenues:
29,738 BN US-$
–Net income: 2,159 BN US-$
–Samuel R. Allen has been CEO
and chairman since 2010
JOHN DEERE
AT A GLANCE 2017

4. | International Forum of Agricultural Robotics, Toulouse, December 20184
Agricultural Equipment
Construction Equipment
Turf Equipment
Forestry Equipment
Financial Services
Power Systems
Intelligent Solutions
Worldwide Parts Services
PORTFOLIO

5. | International Forum of Agricultural Robotics, Toulouse, December 20185
Agenda
• John Deere
• Automatic Steering Solutions
• Trend towards Autonomous Vehicles
• Drivers
• Challenges
• Applications
• Swarm Technologies
• Role of Electrification
• Outlook & Summary

6. | International Forum of Agricultural Robotics, Toulouse, December 20186
Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS)
Use of GNSS is key for successful future farming
Ø Acquisition of NavCom Technologies in late 1990s
Ø Development of Dual Frequency StarFire Receiver and StarFire Correction Data
Network

7. | International Forum of Agricultural Robotics, Toulouse, December 20187
GNSS-based automatic steering systems
Ø Nearly standard on larger agricultural machines
Ø Trend towards higher accuracy (RTK)

8. | International Forum of Agricultural Robotics, Toulouse, December 20188
Agenda
• John Deere
• Automatic Steering Solutions
• Autonomous Vehicles
• Drivers
• Challenges
• Applications
• Swarm Technologies
• Role of Electrification
• Outlook & Summary

9. | International Forum of Agricultural Robotics, Toulouse, December 20189
Field
Robots
Source: University of Helsinki
Source: Robotics Business review
Source: Hochschule Osnabrück
Source:
University of Sidney

10. | International Forum of Agricultural Robotics, Toulouse, December 201810
Source: CNHI
Trend towards fully autonomous
(driverless) tractors?
Source: Kubota
Source: AGCO/Fendt

11. | International Forum of Agricultural Robotics, Toulouse, December 201811
Autonomous Tractors in Test

12. | International Forum of Agricultural Robotics, Toulouse, December 201812
Is this the future?

13. | International Forum of Agricultural Robotics, Toulouse, December 201813
Ø Shortage and cost of educated labor
• Large arable farming vs. specialty crops
Ø Cost reduction of unmanned machine
• No cab needed
Ø Soil compaction reduction
• Controlled traffic farming vs. light weight robots
Ø Reduction of input cost through precise placement/single
plant treatment
Ø Autonomous cars & trucks
• Strong cost reduction of safeguarding sensors
• Facilitates legal approval discussion
Ø Educational focus on robotics
Ø Strong focus of venture capital and startup companies on
agricultural robotics
Drivers for autonomous vehicles

14. | International Forum of Agricultural Robotics, Toulouse, December 201814
Ø Product liability
Ø Legal situation
• Driving on public roads
Ø Safeguarding sensors
• Challenging environment (dust, dirt, fog, vibrations)
Ø Monitoring of other machine functionality
Ø Logistics
• Handling of harvested material or inputs (seed, fertilizer)
• Transport to/from field
Ø Complete re-design of machines
• Optimal machine size depends on application
Ø Development of totally new cropping systems
Ø Availability of robotics/AI engineers
Challenges for autonomous vehicles

15. | International Forum of Agricultural Robotics, Toulouse, December 201815
Agenda
• John Deere
• Automatic Steering Solutions
• Autonomous Vehicles
• Drivers
• Challenges
• Applications
• Swarm Technologies
• Role of Electrification
• Outlook & Summary

16. | International Forum of Agricultural Robotics, Toulouse, December 201816
Weeding
Source:
Naio Technologies
Source: FarmWise
Source: EcoRobotix
Source:
Carré

17. | International Forum of Agricultural Robotics, Toulouse, December 201817
Spraying
Source: GUSS
Source: SwarmFarm Robotics
Source:
Jacto

18. | International Forum of Agricultural Robotics, Toulouse, December 201818
Harvesting
Source: FFRobotics
Source:
HandsFree
Hectare
Source:
Harvest CROO
Robotics

19. | International Forum of Agricultural Robotics, Toulouse, December 201819
Agenda
• John Deere
• Automatic Steering Solutions
• Autonomous Vehicles
• Drivers
• Challenges
• Applications
• Swarm Technologies
• Role of Electrification
• Outlook & Summary

20. | International Forum of Agricultural Robotics, Toulouse, December 201820
Trend towards swarm technologies?
Source: SwarmFarm Robotics
Source: AGCO/Fendt

21. | International Forum of Agricultural Robotics, Toulouse, December 201821
Autonomous field swarms
Goals:
• Swarm of autonomous and semi-autonomous operating implements
• Electrically driven units
• Higher automation level with lower specific power requirements

22. | International Forum of Agricultural Robotics, Toulouse, December 201822
Agenda
• John Deere
• Automatic Steering Solutions
• Autonomous Vehicles
• Drivers
• Challenges
• Applications
• Swarm Technologies
• Role of Electrification
• Outlook & Summary

23. | International Forum of Agricultural Robotics, Toulouse, December 201823
Role of Electrification
• Too low power density of batteries
• Applications with short durations
• Not usable for 24h operations on large
farms
• Potential Solutions
• Fast exchange of battery packs
• Solar panels for low power applications
• Fuel cells
• Connecting to the grid

24. | International Forum of Agricultural Robotics, Toulouse, December 201824
Connecting to the grid

25. | International Forum of Agricultural Robotics, Toulouse, December 201825
Agenda
• John Deere
• Automatic Steering Solutions
• Autonomous Vehicles
• Drivers
• Challenges
• Applications
• Swarm Technologies
• Role of Electrification
• Outlook & Summary

26. | International Forum of Agricultural Robotics, Toulouse, December 201826
Outlook and Summary
• GNSS-based steering solutions are mainstream.
• Growing interest and research and venture capital in fully
autonomous (unmanned) vehicles.
• A lot of drivers towards autonomous vehicles, but a lot of
challenges still ahead of us.
• Field robots will be introduced first in specialty crops due to
labor cost and labor shortage.
• Swarm technologies and alternative energy concepts seem to
be necessary for introduction in large arable farming.