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Sunday 10 February 2013

Weeding with drones



Next Big Future has a piece on German research into weed control by laser-toting drones.

German scientists are seriously developing a laser based system of weed control in order to be more "environmentally friendly" than using chemical poisons. What could go wrong ? Laser armed Robots and drones for farming and weed control and they will have artificial intelligence algorithms and high resolution cameras for recognizing plants. They would have the goal of having this on a large scale for better "organic farming". The laser system is currently being tested in a greenhouse.

Drones or small robotic planes would fly over the fields. These could also fight weeds near protected waters, where herbicides are not allowed to be used. According to researcher Christian Marx, the German railway service has expressed interest in the project as well. "30 percent of the railway tracks are in water protection areas where you can't use herbicides anyway."


As the piece suggests in its title - what could possibly go wrong?

5 comments:

Angus Dei said...

I like that AK:)

Do they do one which ferrets out fat, carbon neutral teenagers, it would save the bultler oodles of time

Anonymous said...

So a CO2 laser eh. Send a minimum 35 Joules into the meristem with an accuracy of about 2-3 mm. Sounds a barking mad idea to me. Verrry interrrresting ----- but useless.

A K Haart said...

Angus - do you really want your butler in charge of an armed drone?

Roger - I think that's why it was reported - a mad scientist story.

Sam Vega said...

Small boys, catapults.

One hopes.

A K Haart said...

Sam - yes, but look how catapults evolved.