Back to business: Thanks to the New Agricultural Robot of Continental Farmers Can Refocus on the Essentials
- Fully electric, fully autonomous
- Modular design allows exchangeable implements and different track widths
- Sensors data provide basis for safe autonomous driving and agricultural process
- Focus on agronomics: more efficient operational management facilitates the agricultural business
Contadino is a modular agricultural implement carrier which can be used for different light duty tasks such as seeding, weeding, spraying, fertilizing and monitoring. For these different purposes the robot can be equipped with different implements. The modular design allows for a maximum of flexibility regarding tool size and track width and enables a quick and easy maintenance. Together with partners in the agricultural sector first applications will be developed and tested in 2020.
The agricultural industry is undergoing a major transformation and digital and connected solutions are the fertilizer for efficient, safe and sustainable agriculture. Contadino offers solutions which meet exactly those requirements. The robots can work in fleet operation which means several robots collaborate in one field. The fleet size can be flexibly configured. The transport to the field takes place with a trailer which also functions as charging and refill station for seeds, fertilizers, etc. This swarm concept guarantees an efficient and smooth workflow without any downtimes. Efficient electric motors and automatic recharging ensure a round-the-clock-operation. Contadino enables smart farming with precise application of pesticides and fertilizers or a selective sowing process.
Continental’s extensive experience in the field of autonomous driving and the sensor technology of Continental allow the realization of highest safety standards. The robot is equipped with lidar scanner, radar, RTK GPS, camera and ultrasound. These sensors ensure accurate object detection and classification, tracking and a GNSS accuracy of three centimeters. The tools are connected to the robot via open interfaces. This connection provides the implement with electric power and acts as a data line enabling access to sensor data and cloud communication.
One of the main principles that contadino embodies is sustainability. The all-electric concept ensures no local emissions or soil contamination by leakages. Its low weight and small size result in low energy consumption and negligible soil compaction.
The agricultural robot of Continental facilitates the daily work of farmers. It offers a solution to the ongoing structural change and the associated shortage of skilled labor. The operation process does not require human surveillance. The farmer has more flexibility in field processing and reacting to changing conditions like new regulations or weather extremes. A cloud connection of the fleet allows mobile monitoring and a constant overview of the process, independent of location. Data access and evaluation gives way to improvements in productivity. In a nut shell, farmers can focus again on agronomics.
Continental has presented contadino for the frist time together with its latest developments for the agriculture industry at the Agritechnica 2019 in Hanover.
