Agricultural robotics are not a new phenomenon. We've seen systems that pick apples and berries, kill weeds, plant trees, transport produce and more. But while these functions are understood to be the core features of automated systems, the same thing is true here as it is across technology: It's all about the data. A huge piece of any of these products' value prop is the amount of actionable information their on-board sensors collect. In a sense, Orchard Robotics' system is cutting out the middle man. That's not to say that there isn't still a ton of potential value in automating these tasks during labor shortages, but the young startup's system is lowering the barrier of entry with a sensing module that attaches to exciting hardware like tractors and other farm vehicles. While plenty of farmers are happy to embrace technologies that can potentially increase their yield and fill in roles that have been difficult to keep staff, fully automated robotic systems can be too cost...
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