With unmanned vehicle technology, we're automating farm work and changing the world of agriculture.
Fewer workers to get more work done. What once seemed like a distant dream is now a reality within reach. In collaboration with Hokkaido University, Yanmar has successfully developed a robot tractor that is being put to the test in real-world scenarios.
Out of all the agricultural equipment that could have been chosen for autonomous operation the tractor was the strongest contender, because the tractor works hard all year long, from soil cultivation all the way through to harvest. With a declining workforce, which is also aging as young people choose to pursue careers in other fields, driverless tractors might just be the long-sought-after answer that the Japanese agricultural industry has been looking for.
Development of other autonomous machinery such as driverless rice-transplanters and combine harvesters are also being weighed up for their potential. If we are able to bring additional speed, safety, and accuracy to the farm, agriculture will become a more accessible profession.
