Toward a Better Understanding of Robot Energy Consumption in Agroecological Applications

TL;DR

This paper analyzes energy consumption in agricultural robots, revealing complex relationships between task type, velocity, and energy use, aiming to optimize energy efficiency in agroecological applications.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of energy factors affecting agricultural robots, highlighting the need for energy optimization strategies in automation.

Findings

Energy consumption correlates with robot velocity and task type.

Tradeoffs exist between task efficiency, time, and energy use.

Data-driven insights can guide energy-efficient robotic farming.

Abstract

In this paper, we present a comprehensive analysis and discussion of energy consumption in agricultural robots. Robots are emerging as a promising solution to address food production and agroecological challenges, offering potential reductions in chemical use and the ability to perform strenuous tasks beyond human capabilities. The automation of agricultural tasks introduces a previously unattainable level of complexity, enabling robots to optimize trajectories, control laws, and overall task planning. Consequently, automation can lead to higher levels of energy optimization in agricultural tasks. However, the energy consumption of robotic platforms is not fully understood, and a deeper analysis of contributing factors is essential to optimize energy use. We analyze the energy data of an automated agricultural tractor performing tasks throughout the year, revealing nontrivial correlations between the robot's velocity, the type of task performed, and energy consumption. This suggests a tradeoff between task efficiency, time to completion, and energy expenditure that can be harnessed to improve the energy efficiency of robotic agricultural operations.