Open Field Automation

Join us in this open-source initiative with your own contribution in the area of “off-road automation”. We need software engineering in all disciplines, hardware design and, of course, funding. Together, we are building a cost-effective, flexible and robust agricultural-robot development kit.

Millions have been spent by countless research entities and companies worldwide to develop autonomous agricultural robots. However, to date, very few applications and production processes using robots have reached fruition.

Our consortium is now joining forces. We make the best of each research center available around a common robot development kit. The aim is to allow more funding to be invested in field applications rather than in redundant robot development.

Join us in this open-source initiative with your own contribution. We need software engineering in all disciplines, hardware design and, of course, funding. Together, we are building a cost-effective, flexible and robust agricultural-robot development kit. It will be used to develop and implement applications that are both economically and ecologically viable.

The applications may consist of, but are not limited to:

weed and pest control,
sampling and mapping (e.g. phenotyping),
pasture care,
find and collect.

The outcome of this initiative will be a solid development kit and a strong community, supporting everyone who is striving for sustainable application development in the area of “off-road automation”. Currently, prototypes of the following tools are being developed and tested:

Automated field vehicle

The vehicle has a modular design and consists of:

Wheel module

A wheel module has been developed. The module incorporates a drive motor for forward motion together with a steering drive. With this truly omnidirectional movement of a target platform becomes possible. This module is completely open-source. That is, the mechanical drawings, bill of material, electrical circuit diagram together with all necessary software can be freely downloaded from our repository.

Specifications:
Dimensions
Weight	~ 60kg
Payload	~ 150kg
Electric voltage	48V
Electric current	46A (nom.)
Torque Drive Power	240Nm (nom.), 283Nm (max) 1.0 kW
Torque Turn Power	112Nm ( nom.), 263Nm (max) 0.75 kW
Speed	1.0m/s ( 3.6 km/h)
Steering angle	270° (-135° – 135°)
Actual material costs	Ca. 12’000 CHF (batch size: 2 pcs)

Several of these modules can be used for a given target platform able to carry any type of applicator.

Computing module

A single board computer running EEROS and ROS2, connected to a GNSS-RTK receiver with two antennas. Work in progress.

Electric weed control

Electric impulses of 30 kV are used to control weeds. Each weed is treated individually, making it a great technology for use in in combination with mulch.

Organisation / Collaboration

The OFA community provides technology-modules to suppliers of agricultural technology or other universities. These suppliers provide complete systems to farmers (including services and warranty). Farmers are hence enabled to sell more sustainable products to the retail business. All players of the value chain are integrated in the OFA community.