RuralDorset project to introduce 5G agri-robots
British sustainable farming company Small Robot Company (SRC) has entered into a partnership with 5G RuralDorset to introduce 5G-powered agri-robots to improve connectivity and farming efficiency.
The £7 million project is being funded by the Department of Digital, Media, Culture and Sport (DMCS) as part of its 5G Testbeds and Trial programme in accordance with Wessex Internet, Telint and Dorset Council to provide a blueprint for rural-optimised 5G connectivity for arable farms.
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The project hopes to see the rapid implementation of 5G technology into rural areas which could have an effect on reducing the divide between rural and urban areas in both the UK and abroad and falls within the wider category of Industry 4.0.
The partners hope proving the technological viability of rural areas may spur further innovations of investments, resulting in the creation of new jobs and improved prosperity.
The team also claim the project could help reduce the overall cost of operating robots, which are already significantly cheaper than conventional farm machinery.
The project will develop an affordable, reliable and interoperable 5G network that is tailor-made for farmer's needs and help provide step-change in the industry.
The environmental impact of farming is a major variable in the blueprints for the scheme.
Carbon emissions may be a big problem for the agricultural industry and improve overall soil health, helping farmers reach UK agriculture targets to be net-zero by 2040.
Interconnectivity may also offer other benefits, such as strengthening and localising supply chains, which have been particularly hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic.
Wessex Internet is also working alongside other players to integrate 5G technology into other areas of the agriculture industry. The aim is to deliver novel high/mid bandwidth 5G solutions and breakthrough innovation within agriculture which could result in more cost-effective technology, the ability to link local needs with local produce, reduce waste and add the potential to deliver higher-quality produce.
Hector Gibson Fleming, Managing Director of Wessex Internet, said: “Our work taking full-fibre broadband to farms, homes and businesses in rural communities has shown us how great connectivity can transform countryside communities. But connectivity across farms remains a massive issue.
"Exciting technological developments in agriculture have the potential to transform farming, but are held back by poor connectivity and mobile coverage. We hope the 5G networks we’re building across a number of Dorset farms, and the exciting 5G applications we’re trialling, such as Small Robot Company’s agri-robots, will be a shining example of what the future can look like.”
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Ben Scott-Robinson, the CEO of SRC said: "This 5G blueprint could be a catalyst for rural economies - with our robots demonstrating the potential for 5G to transform agricultural productivity. Connectivity is not a luxury. It’s a utility. And vital to economic performance.
“5G technological development within agriculture is vital post-Brexit. One of the biggest obstacles facing UK farmers in adopting new technologies is poor connectivity around the farm. This 5G blueprint will pave the way for growth in the rural economy - and alongside it a greatly-improved quality of life.”
The trials will be the first to demonstrate wide-scale autonomy of robotics farming operations including the development of "5G ready" agri-robots and "as a service" agri-robots - robots whose performance will shift over time to meet agricultural needs - as well as a 5G-connected app to control the robots.
On-farm robot "kennels" will aim to process huge volumes of data from robots “on the fly,” exploiting the benefits of using higher frequency 5G spectrum and infrastructure so farmers can take more timely corrective action to maximise yields and minimise pesticide use.
Mike Donnachie, Farm Manager at Ranston Farms noted: “Having precise and accurate data to hand so I can make instant decisions will bring great benefit into the future.”
Dorset Council Deputy Leader Peter Wharf remarked: “Farming in rural areas such as Dorset is a way of life for communities. It is our hope that in making farming operations more sustainable through a partnership with the Small Robot Company we can revolutionise not only the productivity of agricultural operations but also reduce its impact on the environment through novel uses of monitoring and weed control. In doing so we will make agriculture part of Dorset for generations to come.”
Wessex Internet will be delivering three farm 5G networks on the back of its existing 2,100km full-fibre network as part of its RuralDorset trials.
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As a company with a farming background, the rural connectivity provider will be aiming to experiment with a 5G network which is fit for the industry – testing the technical and commercial viability of 5G deployment models in rural areas.
The SRC trials will be taking place at the Ranston Farm 5G trial site in Dorset between October 2021 and March 2022 and are set to release a report on its farms-as-a-service model.
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