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For six decades robots have played a fundamental role in increasing the efficiency and reducing the cost of industrial production and products. In the past twenty years, a similar trend has started to take place in agriculture, with GPS- and vision-based self-guided tractors and harvesters already being available commercially. More recently, farmers have started to experiment with autonomous systems that automate or augment operations such as pruning, thinning, and harvesting, as well as mowing, spraying, and weed removal. In the fruit tree industry, for example, workers riding robotic platforms have shown to be twice as efficient as workers using ladders. Advances in sensors and control systems allow for optimal resource and integrated pest and disease management. This is just the beginning of what will be a revolution in the way that food is grown, tended, and harvested.

The mission of the RAS Agricultural Robotics and Automation (AgRA) technical committee is to promote research, development, innovation, and standardization in robotics and automation to enable safe, efficient, and economical agricultural production. AgRA is a forum where academic and industrial researchers and engineers meet to advance the state-of-the-art in sensing, mobility, manipulation, and management technologies applied to production of grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and horticulture and nursery crops. We welcome anyone interested in this exciting area to join and contribute to our mission.

https://www.ieee-ras.org/agricultural-robotics-automation