Sensors (Apr 2022)

Heterogeneous Autonomous Robotic System in Viticulture and Mariculture: Vehicles Development and Systems Integration

  • Nadir Kapetanović,
  • Jurica Goričanec,
  • Ivo Vatavuk,
  • Ivan Hrabar,
  • Dario Stuhne,
  • Goran Vasiljević,
  • Zdenko Kovačić,
  • Nikola Mišković,
  • Nenad Antolović,
  • Marina Anić,
  • Bernard Kozina

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/s22082961
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 22, no. 8
p. 2961

Abstract

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There are activities in viticulture and mariculture that require extreme physical endurance from human workers, making them prime candidates for automation and robotization. This paper presents a novel, practical, heterogeneous, autonomous robotic system divided into two main parts, each dealing with respective scenarios in viticulture and mariculture. The robotic components and the subsystems that enable collaboration were developed as part of the ongoing HEKTOR project, and each specific scenario is presented. In viticulture, this includes vineyard surveillance, spraying and suckering with an all-terrain mobile manipulator (ATMM) and a lightweight autonomous aerial robot (LAAR) that can be used in very steep vineyards where other mechanization fails. In mariculture, scenarios include coordinated aerial and subsurface monitoring of fish net pens using the LAAR, an autonomous surface vehicle (ASV), and a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV). All robotic components communicate and coordinate their actions through the Robot Operating System (ROS). Field tests demonstrate the great capabilities of the HEKTOR system for the fully autonomous execution of very strenuous and hazardous work in viticulture and mariculture, while meeting the necessary conditions for the required quality and quantity of the work performed.

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