Industry News - 2020 - Page 16 of 51

New Support Ships For The Royal Canadian Navy

Through Canada’s defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, our government is ensuring the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) is well equipped with the modern ships it needs to support current and future operations while supporting well-paying middle class jobs across Canada.
Today, Defence Minister Harjit S. Sajjan, joined by the Honourable Johnathan Wilkinson, Member of Parliament for North Vancouver, Terry Beech, Member of Parliament for Burnaby North—Seymour, and John McCarthy, Chief Program Officer of Seaspan Vancouver Shipyards, highlighted the importance of the recent contract award for the full construction of Canada’s two new Joint Support Ships (JSS) to both the RCN and to the Canadian economy. Valued at $2.4 billion (including taxes), this contract supports the ongoing construction of the ship’s early blocks, which began in June 2018, as well as construction of the newly designed blocks for the remainder of the ships.
By investing the entire value of the contract in to the Canadian economy, work on these ships will create an estimated 1,000 jobs across Canada. The work being done by Seaspan, its hard working employees and workers from companies across Canada will make sure that the RCN is well equipped for the future by being able to provide at-sea replenishment and supporting critical humanitarian and disaster-relief missions, both at home and abroad.
The first new JSS, the future HMCS Protecteur, is expected to be delivered in 2023, followed by the second JSS, HMCS Preserver, in 2025. This contract award is bringing the RCN one step closer to the arrival of its future fleet of ships. Built through the National Shipbuilding Strategy, the new JSS will replace the RCN’s former Protecteur-class Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment vessels, which were retired from service in 2014.

Quotes
“By investing right here at home, Canadian workers are helping to build the fleet of the future to equip the Royal Canadian Navy and our members in uniform with modern and versatile ships they need for Canada’s important contributions to peace and security at home, and abroad. This work will create about a 1,000 jobs right here in Vancouver and across Canada, supporting local economies from coast to coast. Today, we are one step closer to an exciting new chapter in Canada’s proud naval history,” said The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of National Defence.
“Through the National Shipbuilding Strategy, we are honouring our commitment to equip the Royal Canadian Navy with the critical equipment they need, while supporting Canadian jobs. The dedicated team at Seaspan has already made good progress on the Joint Support Ships project. This contract award brings us one step closer to delivering these world-class vessels to the Royal Canadian Navy,” stated The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Public Services and Procurement.
“The National Shipbuilding Strategy is generating more jobs and strengthening our domestic shipbuilding industry, while growing Canada’s economy. As we navigate this unprecedented time, it is reassuring that through this contract the workers at Seaspan and their suppliers will have good opportunities and lasting jobs,” quoted The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry.
“I am pleased to see yet another milestone happen this year for our future Joint Support Ships. With these warships, the Royal Canadian Navy will be able to operate with even greater flexibility and endurance. Not only will these ships form part of the core of our Naval Task Groups, they represent a vital and strategic national asset which will enable the Navy to maintain its global reach and staying power,” said Vice-Admiral Art McDonald, Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy.
“Today’s event honours our Government’s commitment to strengthening our shipbuilding industry, and equipping our sailors with state of the art equipment they need to keep Canadians safe. It will also create good local jobs for people right here in North Vancouver. This is a tangible investment in our community, and I look forward to seeing the ongoing progress and future results of these two new Joint Support Ships,” stated The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Member of Parliament for North Vancouver.

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Aug 20, 2020 - 5 years ago
Haulin' Heavy

Front Page Story: Henderson Heavy Haul Reaps Enhanced Performance, Fuel Economy and Driver Comfort with Kenworth W990.

When Mark Weisgerber, Henderson Heavy Haul’s operations manager, drove a new Kenworth W990 transporting a 211,000-pound GCW crawler crane to the top of Montana’s Big Sky Resort at 11,100-feet elevation, the performance validated the decision to add more of Kenworth’s newest model.
“In the heavy-haul business, our greatest concern is overheating during a transport, especially since we operate out of the Rocky Mountains. The transport to Big Sky Resort was the first time we got to see how our new Kenworth W990 would perform when put to the test. We especially were curious to see if the W990’s larger radiator and enhanced cooling package would make a difference,” Weisgerber said.
“We climbed more than 11,000 vertical feet that day and the truck handled the steep grade with ease. When we reached the top of the mountain, we saw no signs of overheating – in fact, it ran cooler than other trucks in our fleet. I was more than impressed. The Kenworth W990 performed flawlessly that day. From that day on, I knew the W990 would be a great addition to the fleet,” Weisgerber said.
Henderson Heavy Haul, a transportation company based in Fruita, Colorado, specializes in transporting heavy equipment. But, its mainstay business is hauling oversized components used to construct wind turbines, such as wind towers and wind blades to create wind energy throughout the continental 48 states. The company relies on its fleet of 37 trucks, primarily Kenworth long-hood and vocational trucks, to make deliveries. The fleet includes four Kenworth W990s – one with a 76-inch mid-roof sleeper, two with 40-inch FlatTop sleepers and a day cab – all spec’d with 565 hp engines and 18-speed transmissions.
“Since the company started 35 years ago, we’ve run Kenworth trucks. We continued to purchase Kenworths because they’re high quality trucks that have performed well for us over the years,” said Weisgerber. “We’ve always been a fan of the traditional long-hood look, and our drivers like driving them. Plus, they appreciate the creature comforts inside the cabs. For our W990s, we spec’d the cabs with the Limited Edition interior package, which our drivers are loving.”
The Kenworth W990 Limited Edition interior comes in midnight black with glossy Ravenwood door and dash trim accents. The special interior features rich black leather, embroidered W990 logo, Royal Blue double-stitched diamond door pads, black leather wrapped steering wheel with Royal Blue stitching, and driver and passenger seats with suede charcoal inserts and perforated leather with Royal Blue backing.
Weisgerber, who on occasion drives locally for Henderson Heavy Haul, has seen key improvements in the Kenworth W990 when compared to other long hoods in the fleet.
“Henderson Heavy Haul is located roughly 250 miles from Salt Lake City and Denver, and we provide services in both cities. When needed, I’ll get behind the wheel and make these day trips. From my time driving the W990, two things have really caught my attention – no driver fatigue and enhanced fuel economy,” Weisgerber said.
“I’ve always thought Kenworth makes a driver-friendly truck, but I’ve noticed that even after driving all day, I feel great. The ride is that smooth,” he said.
“In addition, the fuel savings helps us out. In a recent trip, I noticed that the W990 consumed 15 less gallons of fuel over the course of a 500-mile trip when directly compared to another truck in our fleet. That trip wasn’t a fluke. We consistently see better fuel economy in our W990s and we’ll save thousands of dollars each year,” Weisgerber said.
When it comes to providing service for wind energy customers, the company utilizes its 40-inch FlatTop Kenworth W990s to transport wind turbine components from rail stations to its customers. Since ‘wind farms’ are typically located in rural parts of the country, Henderson Heavy Haul assigns drivers to work with a specific customer for up to three months. In this application, drivers will often transfer loads that weigh up to 265,000 pounds GCW and travel up to 250 miles to the customer from the rail station.
“For our drivers who work with customers long-term, we’ll typically find a hotel for them to stay in,” said Weisgerber. “The W990 with the 40-inch sleeper is a great fit for us in this division because it allows our drivers to store personal belongings or catch up on sleep in-between transports. From an over-the-road standpoint, our drivers have mentioned how well the truck handles and corners, even when pulling a lot of weight.”
The 76-inch mid-roof Kenworth W990 serves in the company’s long-haul division, which transports heavy equipment as well as wind turbine components that are unable to be delivered closer to a customer location via rail. Drivers typically spend up to three days on the road when making these deliveries.
“Our Kenworth W990 with the 76-inch sleeper provides a nice combination of driver comforts and performance. The W990 has been a great truck for all our divisions so far, but in the near-future we’ll be looking to add more trucks to our long-haul division,” Weisgerber said.
Henderson Heavy Haul will soon take delivery of three more 76-inch mid-roof Kenworth W990s, along with one 40-inch FlatTop Kenworth T880, purchased through MHC Kenworth – Grand Junction. The T880 will provide long-term services for wind energy customers.
According to Weisgerber, the company has worked with Jordan Bogue, new truck salesman with MHC Kenworth – Grand Junction for nearly a decade. Weisgerber says Bogue’s understanding of Henderson Heavy Haul’s operation, industry knowledge and progressive spec’ing ideas are an asset to the company.
“Jordan is great to work with. He’s really knowledgeable on how to spec our trucks so that they’ll work well in our operation. We place a lot of trust in him to make decisions when it comes to truck orders and he always comes through for us,” Weisgerber said. “When the Kenworth W990 was introduced, Jordan told us we needed to add that truck. At first, we didn’t think we needed to because we were happy with the long hoods in our fleet. But he was persistent. We trusted him and decided to purchase one Kenworth W990 day cab first to see how it would perform. It didn’t take long for us to see the benefits in upgrading to the new long-hood truck, so we’ve continued to add W990s since. We’re glad Jordan turned us to the W990.”

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Aug 20, 2020 - 5 years ago
Modernizing Alberta’s Wildlife Regulation

Alberta’s Wildlife Regulation sets out rules about wildlife use, such as fees, licences, reporting requirements and hunting and trapping activities.
The changes will give hunters and trappers clarity on rules, while also providing them with more opportunities to get outdoors and do what they love.
“These updates to the Wildlife Regulation are long overdue and provide countless conservation benefits that we will see for years to come. Hunting has always been a critical wildlife management tool in the province and we are reaffirming that here. As a hunter myself, I am also pleased that these amendments will allow hunters to spend more time outside and less time filing paperwork, in keeping with the Alberta government’s overall efforts to cut red tape,” said Jason Nixon, Minister of Environment and Parks.
The updated regulation will help improve wildlife conservation, eliminate outdated administrative requirements, reduce conflicts between wildlife and people, and protect important habitats for vulnerable wildlife.
The changes also provide temporary economic relief to guide-outfitters due to border restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Alberta resident hunters will be temporarily allowed to hold hunting licences and participate in guided hunts that are normally designated for non-resident hunters. Hunting is an increasingly popular activity in Alberta, especially as Albertans recreate closer to home. These amendments will further support this activity.
Hunters and trappers play a key role in supporting wildlife management activities, such as monitoring wildlife populations and wildlife diseases. These changes are yet another example of the important ongoing relationship between hunting and conservation.
The amendments take effect on Aug. 25 and will be incorporated in this year’s hunting and trapping guides.
“With COVID-19 fears and the looming uncertainty of the closure of Canada’s borders, 2020 continues to be a devastating year for Alberta’s outfitted hunting industry, so we are extremely thankful to the Government of Alberta for their support of our industry in our time of need. Alberta’s outfitting industry is an important contributor to Alberta’s tourism and the rural economies in remote communities throughout Alberta. The outfitting industry directly employs nearly 3,000 people, generates $116 million in labour income, and contributes over $328 million to Alberta’s economy. We are grateful to the Government of Alberta for their support to help our industry survive this unprecedented season. With these combined initiatives in place, we are optimistic that we can be a strong contributor to the province’s post-COVID economic rejuvenation,” stated Corey Jarvis, president, Alberta Professional Outfitters Society.
“The streamlining of the regulations will reduce paperwork and increase opportunities for Albertans who want to undertake the challenge of harvesting their own wild game for the family dinner table. Hunters and those who benefit from a hunter’s harvest should be pleased with the changes,” remarked Todd Zimmerling, president and CEO, Alberta Conservation Association.
“The Alberta Fish and Game Association (AFGA) is encouraged by, and pleased to have been part of the stakeholder committee to assist in the development of many of these amendments to the wildlife regulations. The amendments include a number of positive changes to better address the control and management of chronic wasting disease (CWD), prohibit the use of drones for scouting, and increased clarity and responsiveness to adjust harvest – to name a few. The AFGA is supportive of the numerous amendments that will increase opportunities for Alberta hunters and trappers, while enhancing conservation in required areas,” quoted Brian Dingreville, president, Alberta Fish and Game Association.
Alberta’s Recovery Plan is a bold, ambitious long-term strategy to build, diversify, and create tens of thousands of jobs now. By building schools, roads and other core infrastructure, we are benefiting our communities. By diversifying our economy and attracting investment with Canada’s most competitive tax environment, we are putting Alberta on a path for a generation of growth. Alberta came together to save lives by flattening the curve and now we must do the same to save livelihoods, grow and thrive.

Some highlights of the Wildlife Regulation amendments include:
•   Guide-outfitters will be able to register and report sheep harvests on behalf of their clients, creating a more efficient process for international hunters to register their rams.
•   Reductions in administrative requirements for hunters, trappers and outfitters, like allowing hunting licences to also be used as an export permit.
•   The Alberta Professional Outfitters Society will also be able to refund hunting allocation and use fees back to guide-outfitters that have been unable to use them.
•   Changes to when waterfowl hunts open and the location of wildlife sanctuaries in order to protect vulnerable wildlife when required.
•   Requiring hunters to report wildlife tracking collars and other devices used to monitor wildlife to ensure biologists can download data to further inform our knowledge of wildlife movements across the province.
•   Many formerly restricted migratory game bird waterbodies are now open to waterfowl hunting due to increases in waterfowl populations, affording hunters increased access and opportunity to enjoy over-water hunts.
•   Hunters will be allowed to bring a companion dog (pack dog) along with them in mountain area Wildlife Management Units during an open big game hunting season.
•   The updated regulation designates Kimiwan Lake as a game bird sanctuary to prevent displacement and disturbance to at-risk trumpeter swans from migratory bird hunting activity.
•   Penalties of up to $500 for feeding dangerous wildlife, such as wolves, bears, and cougars, in situations other than baiting for hunting.
•   Removal of the timing restriction for hunters using off-highway vehicles (OHVs) in certain Wildlife Management Units.
•   Extending seasons in some fur management zones while removing restrictions on sale of fur-bearing animals lawfully trapped. b

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Aug 20, 2020 - 5 years ago
Toronto Pearson Launches Healthy Airport Program Featuring Innovative Partnership With Bluedot

The Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA), which operates and maintains Toronto Pearson, recently launched its "Healthy Airport" commitment, a comprehensive program that outlines the steps the airport and its partners are taking to be ready for the new realities of air travel, and to lead the aviation industry in advancing the future of healthy travel corridors. Today's announcement also includes a strategic partnership with BlueDot, a leader in advanced data analytics and technologies to predict and monitor infectious disease risks.
Toronto Pearson's Healthy Airport commitment and health measures are aligned with the global aviation measures established by the International Civil Aviation Authority, International Air Transport Association, and Transport Canada's framework for addressing COVID-19 and the recovery of the aviation sector.
"Toronto Pearson is an international leader in the aviation sector, having set the standard for exceptional passenger service among large North American airports for three years in a row," said Deborah Flint, President and CEO of the GTAA. "As government restrictions on air travel begin to be lifted and flights increase, Toronto Pearson is ready, and we are intent on exceeding international standards. Everyone who works at Toronto Pearson is dedicated to playing a leadership role in fulfilling the health protection measures and adapting quickly to changes and future standards. We are dedicated each day to providing the pathway for Canadians who are dreaming of the day they can travel again."
Passengers will experience the airport's five point Healthy Airport commitment, which includes the highest standards for cleaning and hygiene, clear communications and the introduction of innovative technology advancements, including touchless check-in, a disinfection corridor for airport workers, facility monitoring for congestion, autonomous floor cleaning machines and air quality monitors. Additionally, the GTAA has partnered with BlueDot to monitor and manage risk from COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. The Canadian technology company's world-leading insights platform will power the GTAA's commitment to preparedness and resilience.
In addition to measures introduced by the GTAA on June 1 – mandatory masks, limited access to airport facilities, continued enhanced cleaning and hygiene and increased signage for physical distancing – today's Healthy Airport announcement includes the following commitment to passengers and airport workers:
•   We commit to making passenger and employee health our top priority.
•   We commit to working with our partners to set strong, consistent standards for passenger and airport worker health.
•   We will deploy multi-layered tools and adjust quickly to changes and current intelligence.
•   We will ensure our approach is best in class and aligned with international aviation standards.
•   We will explore all innovative and technologically advanced solutions for ensuring the safety of our passengers and employees.
Many of the 400-plus organizations operating out of Toronto Pearson—including air carriers and transit agencies—are implementing health and cleaning measures, and are working with the GTAA to ensure their employees comply with the airport's new commitment, as well as with requirements established by federal, provincial and municipal health authorities. In addition to conducting airport-wide workforce education sessions, the GTAA has worked with public health officials and a growing number of airport employers to develop a voluntary COVID-19 case log. Moreover, the GTAA is working with Wipro, a global technology leader, to conduct a pilot of wearable tracing and physical distancing technology for airport workers.
Passenger confidence in Canada's travel industry is of the utmost importance, and the Toronto Pearson workforce is dedicated to building public trust that the aviation sector takes health issues and their well-being seriously.
As regional and national rules and restrictions ease in the coming weeks and months, Toronto Pearson employers will continue to work with the Government of Canada to assess risk and to encourage a logical and reasonable return of domestic and international travels.
Quotes:
"Toronto Pearson's 'Healthy Airport' Initiative demonstrates leadership and a commitment of the airport and its partners to ensure the health and safety of employees and visitors to the airport during the COVID-19 pandemic," Dr. Lawrence Loh, Interim Medical Officer of Health, Region of Peel.
"The global airport industry is facing unprecedented challenges because of COVID-19. As Toronto Pearson airport is preparing for the 'new normal', Wipro, through our deep domain expertise and experience in implementing digital innovations and technologies, is assisting the airport in bringing the Healthy Airport concept to life. This is enabled through a bouquet of contactless solutions and digital technologies for enhancing the passengers' safety and experience. Working together with the airport stakeholders we strive to safeguard the health and safety of passengers and airport staff." Sahadev Singh, Vice President & Global Head, Wipro Limited.
"Smarter airports deliver a safer experience for travellers. And safer travellers contribute to a healthier world. BlueDot is incredibly proud to partner with the GTAA to use advanced data analytics and digital technologies to stay a step ahead of global infectious disease risks." Dr. Kamran Khan, founder and CEO of BlueDot and practicing infectious disease physician.
"Airport workers want to see the return of travel. The future of our airport community will be shaped by our collective response to this unprecedented crisis. The Toronto Airport Workers' Council has worked closely with the GTAA to develop and re-invest in industry leading health and safety standards. We remain committed to making passenger and workers' health our top priority while ensuring these changes benefit all who fly through and work at our Airport. We look forward to welcoming travellers back into Toronto Pearson, a model for healthy airports everywhere." Steven Tufts, Spokesperson, Toronto Airport Workers' Council. b

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Aug 20, 2020 - 5 years ago
How To Get Started With Drones In Construction

Drones are becoming more and more prevalent on the construction site. From land surveying to stockpile measurements to security monitoring, drones can help construction companies accomplish tasks quickly, safely and for less money. But how do you get started with drones on your construction site and, what’s the best strategy for implementation?

FUNDAMENTALS FOR A SUCCESSFUL DRONE PROGRAM
When considering drones for your business, there are three fundamentals. First, drones are tightly regulated and the level of regulation is increasing. Drones operate in airspace and airspace is rigorously controlled by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). They dictate what can be flown, where, when, by whom and for what purposes. The development of remote ID is just one example of tighter regulations on the horizon.
Second, operating a drone for business purposes requires great skill and understanding. A hobbyist is not a professional. “We’ve heard stories where someone had a drone or knew someone who had a drone,” says Joe Fuller, CIO of DroneUp. “They sold their services to a company and the results were completely unacceptable.”
Third, the deliverables must serve the specific requirements of the customer. “Just having images on a shelf doesn’t do anyone any good,” says Fuller. “The value is in the viewer.” Deliverables must be in a format suited to the application. DXF and JPG/JPEG files are among the common formats, but other less common formats are often better matches to the intended purpose.
There are countless other considerations. Safety is one. “It can be safer to send out a drone than a person,” says Adrian Assassi, account executive, DroneDeploy. He says this is especially true for inspections, which often take place in an elevated location, a trench or in the presence of noxious substances. Wavelength is another consideration, says Assassi. In addition to visible wavelengths, drones can record thermal wavelengths and other conditions. Drones are being used to assess negative spaces (excavations, trenches, quarries, etc.) and indoor use is expanding. But each of these is application-specific; none replaces the broader fundamentals.

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Aug 20, 2020 - 5 years ago
Agri-Robotics For A Sustainable Farming Future

Time for change in our changing times?
It’s hard to think of a more important economic sector than agriculture. This is an industry that directly affects the lives of everyone the world over, despite being beset by challenges from all sides. Changes in temperature and precipitation are influencing crop yields; farmers and agricultural workers are directly exposed to the effects of weather extremes, while millions more in food-related jobs are already feeling the impact of our changing climate.
Furthermore, consumers today are increasingly aware of the issue of chemicals used in producing their food and demand sustainable production of ever tastier, higher quality produce. Finding the best way to deal with these issues and while meeting environmental pressures is causing many governments to turn to automation specialists and technology experts to try and improve the lot of the farmer, meet consumer demands, and tackle the myriad challenges confronting the industry.
Smart farming research with SMASH in Italy
Increased automation and technology within agriculture is nothing new in itself of course – in fact, it’s been happening ever since the Industrial Revolution. But what is new is how technology is being used to tackle problems related to food disease control and unstable weather patterns. The focus is now on achieving desired yields in an environmentally sustainable way, with a continuous focus on reducing the amount and type of chemicals used.
Drought, flooding and the appearance of new pests and diseases are, however, now a threat on all continents. Even Europe faces a challenge right across its farming systems. This is especially true of countries such as Italy, which faced a 57% plunge in its 2018 olive harvest – the worst in 25 years – as a result of climate change, according to scientists.
With its European research facility nestled in the hills above Florence, Italy, Yanmar R&D Europe (YRE) is well placed to focus on a variety of field-based studies to bring added value to the agriculture industry – and possibly even attract a new generation of workers to the land. These include the two-year, four-million Euros ‘SMASH’ project being carried out in cooperation with 10 technology partners to develop a mobile agricultural ‘eco-system’ to monitor, analyse and manage agricultural crops.
The acronym stands for ‘Smart Machine for Agricultural Solutions Hightech’, and this project was co-financed by the Tuscany local government. It consists of the development of a modular robotic platform that employs the latest information communications technology to examine crops and soils, analyse gathered information and provide clear, actionable information to farmers to support crop management.
One of Yanmar’s many roles was to develop control systems for the multipurpose robotic arm for mobile manipulation (including precision spraying), sensor integration for positioning technologies, and autonomous navigation and software development for the control of the system’s mobile base (in collaboration with other partners).
For YRE’s Modelling and Control Engineer Manuel Pencelli, developing a prototype agro-bot that could be used to monitor and control crops, take soil samples for analysis and accurately target agricultural chemicals for precision application, required many different areas of expertise from the beginning of the project.
“There have been many partners involved throughout. We needed mechanical expertise for developing the structure of the vehicle, and many ‘communications’ experts because we have a lot of devices that need to ‘talk’ to each other. Our starting point was in fact a tracked vehicle that was originally built for moving along a beach and cleaning the shoreline!”
“SMASH is not a single machine, but a series of different devices… that together provide vital information to help farmers.” – Manuel Pencelli
There are two working SMASH prototypes – one for grapevines and the other for spinach – to cover the two different types of crops that were originally slated for research. The former has already undergone significant testing at a vineyard farm in the Pisa province, where Manuel has been instrumental in demonstrating the possibilities that this robotic eco-system could offer farmers.
“SMASH is not a single machine, but a series of different devices including a robot, base station, drones and field sensors that together provide vital information to help farmers. A farmer could programme the task that he wants SMASH to carry out, and while he is involved in other activities, this machine could move autonomously, monitoring crops, detecting and treating diseases, and saving the farmer or his workers significant time out in the fields manually checking crops.”
Mapping and monitoring, weeding and feeding
SMASH consists of a mobile base, a robotic arm featuring manipulators and vision systems, a drone and an ancillary ground station. Imagine a system that is designed to function across a range of precision agriculture technologies, offering specific insights on geomatics, robotics, data mining, machine learning etc, while taking into account the environmental and social issues facing farmers.
For Manuel, the possibilities for SMASH are endless: “In addition to all the functions that can be performed by the robotic arm, we also have some attachments that can be mounted on the back of the vehicle for mechanical weeding, or working the soil, as it moves. This work can be done simultaneously, together with the monitoring and detection.”
Yanmar’s expertise has been in the software development for the agro-bot and the integration and installation of all of the other parties’ components. It’s a complicated mass of electronics, with wires, sensors, cameras, GPS receivers, and multiple electric motors (eight of them!) competing for space. But it all works – even on a muddy vineyard in late February where the independent steering system and superior traction is demonstrated on a variety of terrain.
“The sensor fusion was one of the most challenging aspects of this project,” adds Manuel.
“Because we have a very particular environment within fields, where a number of variables can change, such as the infrastructure, soil, shape of the fields and even other workers moving around the agro-bot. So, the localisation of the vehicle, improving the robustness of it and understanding its physical constraints were interesting – such as speed, steering angle, the positioning of, and communication between the mounted on-board devices – all these aspects can affect the motion of the vehicle.”
Strength in numbers
YRE also joined forces with Florence University’s Agriculture Department in order to further advance research activities in the field. The university has significant experience in sustainable crop management, having recently completed the EU-funded Rhea project that looked at improving crop quality, health and safety for humans, and reducing production costs by using a fleet of small, heterogeneous robots – ground and aerial – equipped with advanced sensors, enhanced end-effectors and improved decision control algorithms.
“Yanmar shares our vision to help farmers realize healthy, high-value production with a true technological system,” – Professor Marco Vieri
For the SMASH project, the university’s Professor Marco Vieri believed that a holistic approach to research was needed, alongside enabling the latest technologies: “Farming provides food, feed, fibre and fuel for humans, but we also have to consider rural, cultural and historical issues.
In the past, there was a yearly calendar of agricultural operations, but a new mindset is required these days that allows us to control and mitigate risks such as drought, pests and flooding. We needed to explore increased automation not only to enhance and increase the amount of product, but also to apply an added value.
“Yanmar shares our vision to help farmers realize healthy, high-value production with a true technological system, so our part in SMASH has been to develop equipment and effectors for the two scenarios of vineyards and horticultural field crops like spinach. We have extensive knowledge of farm machinery and new technological possibilities, so it’s about helping reduce the use of pesticides that are not safe for the micro-organisms of the soil and plants, while increasing the level of nutrients and useful bacteria.”
It’s fair to say that farmers are on the front line of the debates surrounding climate, emissions and sustainability. Even when it comes to high-value crops such as the grapes, olives and nuts found in this region of Italy, it’s hard to argue against using automated and connected agriculture to bring scientific data and farmers’ needs together. After all, robots can work 24 hours a day, they have less impact on the soil than tractors due to their smaller size.
Imagine a fleet of robots a fraction of the size of a conventional tractor and it’s easy to see the possibilities that AI-based, technology-driven precision farming can offer in the coming years. The use of drones to map fields and check crops; and agro-bots to harvest fruit, sow seeds, identify and treat weeds with exact doses of pesticide and fertiliser – it’s all about targeting efforts only in areas that need work, which allows for a reduction in labour, capital costs and emissions as a result.
With its ongoing research into advanced agricultural robotics, Yanmar is taking on the challenge of showing the possibilities and potential benefits of increased precision farming techniques in the future. Whether automated and robot tractors working the fields will become a familiar sight remains to be seen, but it’s hard to argue against using technology to sustainably increase quality and yields from the land.
And if the sound of drones hovering over crops means that farmers are able to identify growth patterns and nutrient needs, and then deliver pesticides and fertilizers with pin-point accuracy with a fleet of robots, then surely that will be a welcome addition to the tools currently used in our fields. b

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Aug 20, 2020 - 5 years ago