Fox Robotics Ltd, in collaboration with the University of Surrey and the Agri-Epi Centre, along with three prominent farms – MA & MP Stockwell Barnsmuir Farm in Scotland, Lutton Farm in Peterborough, and Secretts Farm in Surrey – have been awarded a grant of £998,639 for their ground-breaking FLEXBOT project, from DEFRA and Innovate UK.
The FLEXBOT project, funded by DEFRA through the Farming Futures Automation and Robotics Competition, aims to revolutionize agriculture with the help of Fox Robotics Ltd.’s autonomous all-terrain robot, Hugo RT™. Designed with horticulture farms in mind, Hugo RT™ has the ability to navigate autonomously and perform various tasks without human intervention, optimizing efficiency and productivity in agriculture.
The core objective of the FLEXBOT project is to enhance the navigation system of Hugo RT™, making it robust enough to operate autonomously in bustling farm environments. This improvement will allow the robot to be used in a wide range of applications beyond traditional farm settings.
The overarching goal of the FLEXBOT project is to showcase the scalability, productivity, and profitability of English fruit farms. With the agricultural sector facing challenges due to a reduced availability of seasonal workers, the integration of Fox Robotics Ltd.’s technology, along with the improved navigation system developed through the project, is expected to address these challenges and provide a reliable solution for farmers.
Furthermore, this technology offers scalability, allowing farmers to adapt to varying farm sizes and layouts. The navigation system provides accurate mapping, enabling farmers to plan their fields effectively and optimize the distribution of resources.
Christian Gordon-Pullar, Chairman of Fox Robotics Ltd, expressed his delight in participating in the FLEXBOT project and the opportunity to simplify the adoption of robotics in agriculture. He emphasized the aim of empowering farmers to harness the benefits of robotics without the need for extensive technical expertise.
Gary Livingstone, CEO of Fox Robotics Limited, highlighted the potential for the project to encourage an ecosystem of add-on suppliers and collaborative efforts that employ mobile COBOT platforms, thus propelling the traditionally fragmented Agri-Tech industry towards standardization.
Henry Acevedo, Founder and CTO of Fox Robotics Ltd, emphasized the significance of the FLEXBOT project in revolutionizing farming practices and ushering in a new era of efficiency, productivity, and sustainability in agriculture. The improved navigation system, based on Bird’s Eye View (BEV) maps, will enable the robots to autonomously navigate outdoor environments, including fruit farms, with precision and efficiency.
Simon Hadfield, Associate Professor in Robot Vision & Autonomous Systems at the University of Surrey, expressed excitement about participating in the innovative research project. FLEXBOT aims to provide flexible and reliable solutions to farm automation by combining cutting-edge AI research with state-of-the-art robotic hardware.
Duncan Ross, Business Development Manager for Crops and Horticulture at Agri-EPI Centre Ltd, highlighted the interest of fruit growers in tech innovations that can address the challenges they currently face, such as seasonal labor shortages. The project aims to develop a solution that increases on-farm adoption.
The FLEXBOT project, supported by DEFRA, Innovate UK, and a consortium of innovative partners, has the potential to transform the agricultural industry. By leveraging state-of-the-art robotics and AI, the project aims to create a greener, more efficient future for farmers.
Innovate UK, which drives productivity and economic growth by supporting businesses to develop new ideas, is part of UK Research and Innovation. Agri-EPI Centre accelerates the adoption of precision agriculture and engineering technologies to boost productivity across the agri-food chain. The Centre for Vision, Speech and Signal Processing (CVSSP) at the University of Surrey is the largest research center of its kind in the UK, focusing on computer vision, AI, and automation research.
With the grant from DEFRA and Innovate UK, the FLEXBOT project is set to make significant strides in revolutionizing agriculture and addressing the challenges faced by the industry. The collaboration between Fox Robotics Ltd, the University of Surrey, and the Agri-Epi Centre, along with the involvement of prominent farms, demonstrates a collective effort to drive innovation and create a more sustainable and efficient future for agriculture.