Equipment innovation is one of the crucial levers for the improvement of economic, societal and environmental performances of agriculture. In particular, precision farming is expected to be among the 10 technologies that could change our lives. Amid the different technologies enabling a greater precision of agriculture, robotics and sensors could radically change the way of farming. Automatic machines collecting and managing data, eventually feeding a bigdata approach, could provide new tools for fine-tuning farmers’ decision making and help them in mastering the environmental footprint of agriculture. Nevertheless, what is a robot from the agricultural point of view? What are the solutions under development or on the market? How to compare them? The disruptive transformation of the agricultural machinery market requires the definition of new landmarks, especially for agronomists who are facing new opportunities and technologies. We present here the early results of a comparative overview realized by a group of students in agronomy and specializing in agricultural equipment and new technologies at UniLaSalle. The five students were asked to provide figures and a summary of the agricultural robots available in France, either on the market or upcoming. Firstly, they defined what a “robot” is. They referred to Coiffet (2007) who considers “robot” a machine for the human assistance executing a work or a physical task, either as a tool handled during the execution of the task or capable to perform the work without human intervention. Accordingly, the database includes only agricultural machines fulfilling at least two out of the three following criteria: the capability to execute a task, the operational flexibility, the self-adaptability to the working environment. Three robot classes were identified (decision, assistance or substitution) further classified in two agricultural domains and related operational subdomains: crop production (including permanent crops, horticulture, field crop and other crops) and breeding (including cattle, poultry, and pig). Out of a 4 months work, the database finally contains 98 robots from 70 enterprises, with full specifications retrieved from more than 300 websites and 7 French agricultural journals, as well as through the participation to some specialized fora. For comparison, the “Agricultural Robots” report by Tractica highlighted 149 profiles over a comparable time period. Drawing upon a solid background in agronomy, the students analysed the farming operation performed by the listed robots, with a focus on the vehicle-soil interface. Altogether, the design and development of this database can provide agronomists with an up-to-date comparative grid of the existing and upcoming agricultural robots. Identifying clear landmarks in the high pace robot landscape will enhance the agronomic evaluation and enable a clearer understanding of robot relevance for farmers.

1. Trends in
Agricultural Robots
Davide RIZZO A.HAMEZ F.HENDRYCKS B.VASSEUR B.DETOT A.COMBAUD
@pievarino
#ChaireAMNT
A Comparative Agronomic Grid Based on a French Overview
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
Parallel Session 7.3 Productivity and Efficiency – abstract PS-7.3-05

2. UniLaSalle
A few words about us,
the Chair and the students
©DelphineDIGEON,2017CCBY-SA
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
Parallel Session 7.3 Productivity and Efficiency – abstract PS-7.3-05
| ABOUT US | BACKGROUND | DATABASE | RESULTS | CONCLUSION |

3. Institut Polytechnique UniLaSalle
A private higher education institute
2800 students
3 integrated degree
programs in Food &
Health, Geology &
Environment,
Agronomy and other
Bachelor and Master
degree programs
4 Academic and
Industrial Chairs
4 research groups
and several facilities member of the Lasallian education network
3 campuses in northern France:
Beauvais, Rouen, Rennes
3
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
Parallel Session 7.3 Productivity and Efficiency – abstract PS-7.3-05

4. 4
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
Parallel Session 7.3 Productivity and Efficiency – abstract PS-7.3-05
The Chair is backed by UniLaSalle with the
financial support from the Michelin Corporate
Foundation, AGCO Massey-Ferguson, the
Hauts-de-France Regional Council and the
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Academic research and education team
adressing the innovation of agricultural
equipment and technologies
We aim to enable students, farmers and
producers to master the disruptive
transformation of the agricultural
machinery and the opportunities
provided by new technologies.
© Davide Rizzo, 2018 CC BY-NC-SA
Rizzo D, Dubois M, Combaud A (2018) Innovation des agroéquipements :
au carrefour entre agriculteurs, industriels et formation. Beauvais, FRA,
http://bit.ly/2G5dPu9

5. Agricultural Equipment & New Technologies
5
3 years of Bachelor level
Fundamental and applied knowledge:
background in agricultural sciences.
2 years of Master level
Professionalization: applied programs in
agriculture, agronomy and the food industry.
www.unilasalle.fr
The course of study in agronomy backed by the Chair
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
Parallel Session 7.3 Productivity and Efficiency – abstract PS-7.3-05
In 2016 the Chair started a new
specialization in agricultural equipment
and new technologies (AENT)
1st AENT graduation was composed by
5 students and sons of farmers with a
solid background in farming.

6. Background
& challenges
The disruptive transformation of the
agricultural machinery market requires the
definition of new landmarks
©DavideRIZZO,2017CCBY-SA
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
Parallel Session 7.3 Productivity and Efficiency – abstract PS-7.3-05
| ABOUT US | BACKGROUND | DATABASE | RESULTS | CONCLUSION |

7. 7
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
Parallel Session 7.3 Productivity and Efficiency – abstract PS-7.3-05
| A very busy farmer Jean-Marc Côté, 1900
1900’s postcard from a series of futuristic pictures by Jean-Marc Côté came to light after Isaac Asimov (1986) in “Futuredays: A
Nineteenth Century Vision of the Year 2000”. https://publicdomainreview.org/collections/france-in-the-year-2000-1899-1910/

8. ©NestaCCBY-NC-SAhttps://www.nesta.org.uk/sites/default/files/future_farms_infographic_precision_agriculture.jpg
8
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
Parallel Session 7.3 Productivity and Efficiency – abstract PS-7.3-05

9. The EU innovation perspective
9
Precision
agriculture is
the only farming
related
innovation that
Europe listed
among the
technologies
which could
change our
lives.
Kurrer C, Tarlton J (eds)
(2017) Ten more
technologies which
could change our lives:
in-depth analysis
http://bit.ly/Kurrer_2017
Van Woensel L, Archer G
(2015) Ten technologies
which could change our
lives: potential impacts
and policy implications.
European Commission,
Brussels
http://bit.ly/2vF5HKp
 Autonomous Vehicles
 Graphene
 3D printing
 Massive Open Online Courses
 Virtual currencies (Bitcoin)
 Wearable technologies
 Drones
 Aquaponic systems
 Smart home technologies
 Electricity storage (hydrogen)
 Electric cars
 Intelligent urban transport systems
 Magnetic levitation-based transport
 Wood
 Precision agriculture
 Quantum technologies
 Radio frequency identification tags
 Big data and health care
 Organoids
 Genome editing
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
Parallel Session 7.3 Productivity and Efficiency – abstract PS-7.3-05

10. CAP encourages digital farming
https://ec.europa.eu/info/news/future-cap-whats-cooking-next-cap_en
“ The future Common Agricultural Policy will be much more
focused on encouraging innovation (for example through
identifying where there is a common need that technology
might be able to meet) and on helping especially small and
medium-sized farms to join the digital farming revolution.”
©xaviergpCCBY-NChttps://flic.kr/p/EYLGYj
10
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
Parallel Session 7.3 Productivity and Efficiency – abstract PS-7.3-05

11. The French challenges
11
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
Parallel Session 7.3 Productivity and Efficiency – abstract PS-7.3-05
Bournigal J-M (2014)
Définir ensemble le futur du
secteur des
agroéquipements
http://bit.ly/Bournigal_2014
Bournigal J-M, Houiller F,
Lecouvey P, Pringuet P
(2015) Agriculture –
Innovations 2025 : 30
projets pour une agriculture
compétitive & respectueuse
de l’environnement.
MinAgri, Paris (FRA)
http://bit.ly/Bournigal_2015
https://www.fira-agtech.com
A national accelerator
program to intensify the
conception, validation, and
dissemination of tomorrow’s
robots for agriculture
FIRA's an annual forum that
aims to create a community
that brings change through
agricultural innovation.
http://bit.ly/2wdytBc
Preparing tomorrow’s
agriculture implies
developing co-design,
agricultural robotics
and digital agriculture
Robotics is expected
to involve precise,
effective and safe
equipment through
research, system
innovation and tests

12. AgriLab® open innovation platform
The local territorial institutions have invested in the building of
AgriLab® to boost the sustainable and open innovation of the
agritech sector in the Hauts-de-France region
© AgriLab
12
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
Parallel Session 7.3 Productivity and Efficiency – abstract PS-7.3-05
http://agrilab.unilasalle.fr/projets
Rizzo D et al (in preparation) Identifying the actors’ interactions within an agricultural innovation system towards sustainability. The case of a
French cluster for agritech innovation. In: International workshop on System Innovation towards Sustainable Agriculture SISA 3. Riga, Latvia

13. Boosting farms automation
13
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
Parallel Session 7.3 Productivity and Efficiency – abstract PS-7.3-05
https://4d4f.eu/http://www.handsfreehectare.com
https://www.agreenculture.net/challenge-centeol-2018
http://bit.ly/2PgceU1
Network of
8 agtech
innovative
farms
http://bit.ly/2KXx0od

14. AgTech for precision agriculture
14
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
Parallel Session 7.3 Productivity and Efficiency – abstract PS-7.3-05
Automatic machines
collecting and
managing data,
(feeding big-data)
new tools for fine-
tuning farmers’
decision making and
to master the
environmental footprint
of agriculture.
Amid the different
technologies
enabling a greater
precision of
agriculture,
robotics and
sensors could
radically change
the way of farming.

15. Understand to trust
15
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/commissioners/2014-
2019/vestager/announcements/clearing-path-innovation_en
https://goo.gl/images/v31SZD
Margrethe Vestager,
European Commissioner for Competition
Web Summit, Lisbon, 7 November 20175
« … more and more, we’re being asked
to put our trust not just in other people,
but in computers and algorithms.
Algorithms most of us don't fully
understand. … The biggest challenge
to the future of innovation … it's whether
that new technology can succeed in
winning the public’s trust. »
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
Parallel Session 7.3 Productivity and Efficiency – abstract PS-7.3-05

16. The aim of this presentation
16
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
Parallel Session 7.3 Productivity and Efficiency – abstract PS-7.3-05
Context (sum-up)
What is a robot from the
agricultural point of view?
What are the solutions under
development or on the market?
How to compare them?
Our aim
To present an overview realized
by a group of students in
agronomy and specializing in
agricultural equipment and new
technologies at UniLaSalle.
©PETROSS,TERRA-MEPP&WEST,CC-BYhttps://flic.kr/p/XavvBA

17. Creating a
database
5 students were asked to provide an
overview of the agricultural robots
available in France
©MaximeAGNES,2017
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
Parallel Session 7.3 Productivity and Efficiency – abstract PS-7.3-05
| ABOUT US | BACKGROUND | DATABASE | RESULTS | CONCLUSION |

18. The database background
18
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
Parallel Session 7.3 Productivity and Efficiency – abstract PS-7.3-05
The five AENT students were
asked (2016) to provide a
comparative overview of the
agricultural robots available
in France, either on the
market or upcoming.
The study ended in 4 months:
 not exahustive
Relevant feature: it is based
on an agronomic point of
view.
©DavideRIZZO,SIMA2017CCBY

19. One of 3 AENT applied projects
Project #1
Defining the specifications
of an innovative tractor.
Project #2
Database of the agricultural
robots available in France.
Project #3
Designing and prototyping
a weeding robot
19
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
Parallel Session 7.3 Productivity and Efficiency – abstract PS-7.3-05
Agricultural Equipment & New Technologies, 1st semester (2016)
©MaximeAgnes,2017©MehdiJaber,Rob’Olympades2017
Rizzo et al. 2018. A robot from the scratch in 5 months. How
agronomy students could master agricultural machinery
innovation. IFSA Congress. http://bit.ly/2md2Mqc

20. What is a “robot”?
COIFFET P (2007) Robots industriels:
concepts, définitions et classifications.
Ed. Techniques Ingénieur
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20
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R.U.R.#/media/File:Capek_RUR.jpg
A scene from “Rossum's Universal Robots“ by Čapek
that first popularized the term “robot”
A concept originated in the
sci-fi literature upon a
real artificial human,
characterized mainly by a
human-like intelligence
including will and
conscience.
The scientific concept
explores instead
machines to assist
humans for the execution
of physical tasks either by
cooperation or substitution

21. Step 1: entry criteria
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
Parallel Session 7.3 Productivity and Efficiency – abstract PS-7.3-05
21
The scientific concept of
robot implies
■ a machine capable to
execute a physical task
AND at least:
■ being versatile
(capable to execute
different tasks)
AND/OR
■ auto-adaptive to the
working environment
COIFFET P (2007) Robots industriels: concepts,
définitions et classifications. Ed. Techniques Ingénieur

22. Step 2: type of interaction
Assistant robots
collaborating with humans
to realize a physical task
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
Parallel Session 7.3 Productivity and Efficiency – abstract PS-7.3-05
22
The machines fulfilling the scientific robot definition, so
included in the database, were further classified in:
Decision robots
that support human
decision-making
Substitution robots
that replace humans to
realizate a physical task
Ladybird by the University of Sydney
http://bit.ly/2MVfHpy
Effibot, CC-BY-SA-4.0 Scailyna, 2016
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Inn
orobo_2015_-_Effidence_-_Effi-bot_02.jpg
DINO weeding robot by Naïo Technologies,
CC-BY 4.0 D. Rizzo, 2017

23. Step 3: domain of application
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
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23
Field crops
Horticulture
Permanent crops,
fruit groves and vineyards
Other,
such as turf mowers
Dairy cattle
Poultry
Pig
Other cattle
breeding (beef)
Robots for CROPS Robots for ANIMALS
Iconsfromhttps://icons8.com/icon/set/world/ios

24. Sources
1er Forum International
de la Robotique Agricole
(FIRA, Nov. 2016)
8 exhibitors,
~ 200 participants
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
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24
More than 300 websites
https://www.slideshare.net/ByMaddyness/maddyinsi
ghts-la-transformation-numrique-dans-le-tourisme
[MaddyInsights] 50 Startups et
Innovations dans l'Agro-Alimentaire
7 agricultural magazines
(e.g., France Agricole)
Technical specifications
issued from the robot
datasheets
Icons from https://icons8.com/icon/set/world/ios

25. Results
Key outcomes and perspectives
©MehdiJABER,2017
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
Parallel Session 7.3 Productivity and Efficiency – abstract PS-7.3-05
| ABOUT US | BACKGROUND | DATABASE | RESULTS | CONCLUSION |

26. The database interface /1
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
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26

27. The database interface /2
Up to 80
descriptive fields
for each entry
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
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27

28. Database structure
28
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
Parallel Session 7.3 Productivity and Efficiency – abstract PS-7.3-05
Created with MS Access® 2013
80 tables detailing the various
features of each machine and of
the producers.
A. Master table listing the robots
B. Robot features: domain (crops
or animals), dimensions, way of
moving, energy source, etc.
C. Primary functions (see after)
D. Producer’s profile
E. Control mode and security
features
96 robots
documented in 4 months
(October 2016 to January 2017)
A
C
B
D E

29. Step 1: criteria defining “robot”
29
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
Parallel Session 7.3 Productivity and Efficiency – abstract PS-7.3-05
Field crops A
Horticulture B
Permanent C
Other D
Dairy cattle A
Cattle breed. B
Poultry C
Pig D
A
B
C
D
Both additional criteria were met mainly by crop robots
Auto-adaptivity is associated to field crop robots
Versatily is an additional criterion for the robots for cattle
crop
Both Versatility Adaptivity
Both Versatility
Robot is an
autonomous
machine
versatile
and/or auto-
adaptive
Coiffet 2007
N = 96 55
22
19
animal
A
B
C
D
A
B
C
D
A
B
C
D
A
B
C
D

30. Step 2: type of interaction /1
30
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111
4 21
21
2
1
1
2
2
1
1420 4
1
8
8
Assistance (3)
Substitution (58)Decision (23)
Field crops (33)
Horticulture (13)
Permanent (6)
Other (4)
Dairy cattle (21)
Poultry (3)
Pig (1)
Cattle (15)
1
Crops (56)
D-S (5)
A-S
(6)
N = 96
Animal (40)
Iconsfromhttps://icons8.com/icon/set/world/ios
(number of robots)

31. Step 2: type of interaction /2
31
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
Parallel Session 7.3 Productivity and Efficiency – abstract PS-7.3-05
Crops: evenly
distributed, yet more
abundant for decision
and hybrid
Animals: 37 out of 40
substitution robots
(34 for cattle breed)
Assistance: quite
limited, mostly as
hybrid with substitution
Substitution robots
are prevalent: 58 (+12
hybrids) out of 96
Icons from https://icons8.com/icon/set/world/ios

32. 3
4
6
4
8
7
2
4
3
7
2
4
6
3
4 4
8
1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015
Step 3: domain of application
project
Crops
Animals
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
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32
N = 93
Year missing
for 3 robots
“Agricultural Robots” by
Tractica reported 149 profiles
over a comparable time period.
58% 42%
Crop Animal
3412
4
15 21
13
N= 56 N= 40
6
R-Max, Yamaha
https://www.yamaha-motor.com.au/products/sky/aerial-systems/rmax
Astronaut 4, Lely
https://www.lely.com/ie/news/2014/06/23/44-lely-astronaut-milking-
robots-manage-dairy-farm/
96 robots

33. 5
18
24
7
9
21
3
9
Load transportation
Sensor carrier
Field works
Milking
Stable cleaning
Feed management
Assistance
Data collection
Functions per domain
33
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
Parallel Session 7.3 Productivity and Efficiency – abstract PS-7.3-05
Several robots for crop
management realise
different field works (from
weeding to harvest)
Multiple solutions for
animal management
robots are for available for
feed pushing or
distribution
Other robots are emerging
for autonomous data
management (assistance)
and collection
N = 96
CROPANIMALBOTH

34. Conclusion
Take-home message
©DavideRIZZO,2017CCBY-SA
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
Parallel Session 7.3 Productivity and Efficiency – abstract PS-7.3-05
| ABOUT US | BACKGROUND | DATABASE | RESULTS | CONCLUSION |

35. From education to innovation
35
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
Parallel Session 7.3 Productivity and Efficiency – abstract PS-7.3-05
Final goal: to ease the mastery of
technologies that are currently and
for the most exogenous to the
agricultural sector.
The insights gained by designing
and developing the database were
propedeutic to build a weeding robot
Cf. Rizzo D et al (2018) A robot from the scratch
in 5 months. How agronomy students could
master agricultural machinery innovation. In:
Farming systems: facing uncertainties and
enhancing opportunities. Chania, GRC, p 11
http://www.ifsa2018.gr/uploads/attachments/52/Theme1_Rizzo.pdf
https://youtu.be/BI4xdYHfF-g

36. Database limits & interest
36
©CCBYSA,D.Rizzo,Bootcamp2017
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
Parallel Session 7.3 Productivity and Efficiency – abstract PS-7.3-05
©CCBYD.Rizzo,SIA2018
A student work carried
out in four months
with a national focus
and not-exhaustive
sources.
Its design can provide
agronomists with a
comparative grid of
the agricultural robots

37. Take-home message
«Do I think todays’
farmers need a robot?
I think today’s robots
need a farmer!»
Identifying landmarks in the
high pace robot landscape
will enhance the agronomic
evaluation and enable a
clearer understanding of
robot relevance for
farmers.
Rod Karter
Cattle farmer, Australia February 2018
ABC Catalyst 2018, Farmer Needs A Robot
http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/4792106.htm
https://youtu.be/oxpZ1c7TsPI
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
Parallel Session 7.3 Productivity and Efficiency – abstract PS-7.3-05
37

38. Thank you! Any question?
We acknowledge
the fundamental
work done by all
the 5 students
(graduation year
157) who
designed and
realized the robot
database (and the
robot H3VR)
Name.surname[at]unilasalle.fr @pievarinowww.unilasalle.fr
38
© Maxime Agnes, 2017
Antoine
Baptiste
Benoît Quentin
Florent
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
Parallel Session 7.3 Productivity and Efficiency – abstract PS-7.3-05

39. Acknowledgements. This work has been supported by Chaire Agro-Machinisme et
Nouvelles Technologies, backed by UniLaSalle with the financial support from the
Michelin Corporate Foundation, AGCO Massey-Ferguson, the Hauts-de-France
Regional Council and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Suggested citation: Rizzo D, Hamez A, Hendrycks F, Vasseur B, Detot B, Combaud
A (2018) Trends in Agricultural Robots: a Comparative Agronomic Grid Based on a
French Overview. In: Innovative cropping and farming systems for high quality food
production systems. Geneva, CH, p PS7.3-05, p 81 http://www.esa-congress-
2018.ch/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/ESA2018_AbstractBook_A4.pdf
Copyright: © 2018 Rizzo et al. This is an open access document distributed under
the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License CC-BY-NS-SA 4.0 that
permits free use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original
author and source are credited. The use shall not be for commercial purposes and
any derivate must keep the same license as the original.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
Design and layout: Davide Rizzo, August 2018
39
Trends in Agricultural Robots ● RIZZO et al. 2018
Parallel Session 7.3 Productivity and Efficiency – abstract PS-7.3-05