New trials have just tested the third generation of Ecorobotix' robotic weeder: the ARA. Their mission was to improve the performance of this new robotic system as part of the work carried out on beet cultivation by the Tereos agronomy department. For the cooperative, the final objective is to enable its cooperators to benefit from the latest technologies contributing to the improvement of sustainable cultivation practices and the reduction of production costs.
Developed thanks to exchanges between experts from Tereos and Ecorobotix, a Swiss manufacturer, the ARA is a completely autonomous machine equipped with a 6-metre wide, folding boom that is attached to a tractor. Its three very high definition cameras detect weeds thanks to a recognition algorithm that is perfected with each use.
The nozzles, positioned every 4 cm, ensure high precision spraying and a reduction in the use of weedkillers of up to 95%.
With the new traction system, the SCBA moves at a speed of about 5 km/h. It can weed up to 30 ha/day. Its use has become very intuitive thanks to the development of a touch-sensitive tablet that can be used from the tractor cab, which will facilitate the future marketing of this system.
During the ARA trials, Jérôme Hary, member of the Supervisory Board and Chairman of the Tereos Sugar beet Commission, said:
« More than ever, productivity issues are essential to maintain the place of sugar beet in our farms. This requires innovation throughout the value chain to achieve optimum agricultural competitiveness. The work carried out by Tereos' agronomy department will enable us to support our cooperators in meeting these challenges. »
Jérôme Hary, member of the Supervisory Board and Chairman of the Tereos Sugar Beet Commission
« The role of the agronomy department is to identify and rapidly implement areas of progress and agronomic innovation for Tereos cooperators. Our mission is to ensure that knowledge is shared with our cooperators, to support them in their crop management and to anticipate with them the challenges facing their agricultural production. »
says David Sergent, Director of the Tereos Cooperative Division.
About Tereos
With a long-term vision of adding value to agricultural raw materials and developing quality products for the food, health and renewable energy sectors, Tereos is a leader in the sugar, alcohol and starch markets. The Group's social and environmental commitments contribute to the company's long-term performance while strengthening its contribution as a responsible player. Tereos is a cooperative group with 12,000 members and recognised expertise in the processing of sugar beet, cane, alfalfa, cereals and potatoes. Thanks to its 48 industrial sites, a presence in 18 countries and the commitment of its 22,300 employees, Tereos supports its customers as closely as possible to their markets with a wide and complementary range of products. In 2019-20, the Group generated sales of €4.5 billion.
