In the not-too-distant future, our fields could be tilled, sown, tended and harvested entirely by fleets of co-operating autonomous machines by land and air.
And they’ll be working both day and night.
Driverless tractors that can follow pre-programmed routes are already being deployed at large farms around the world.Drones are buzzing over fields assessing crop health and soil conditions. Ground sensors are monitoring the amount of water and nutrients in the soil, triggering irrigation and fertiliser applications.
And in Japan, the world’s first entirely automated lettuce farm is due for launch next year.