The construction of “unmanned farms” helps increase agricultural efficiency

Recently, the on-site demonstration of the construction of an unmanned rice and wheat rotation “unmanned farm” for summer harvesting and summer planting, organized by the Nanjing Agricultural Equipment Promotion Center, was held in Chengqiao Street, Liuhe District. Eight sets of unmanned agricultural machinery equipment demonstrated key links from harvesting to sowing, and plant protection, Taking solid steps to promote agricultural efficiency through the construction of “unmanned farms”.

At the demonstration site, in the wheat field to be harvested, an unmanned harvester is conducting harvesting operations. During the operation, the yield is directly measured and calculated. After harvesting all the wheat, the harvester returned to the designated location and immediately an unmanned grain transport equipment started up not far away. After the two equipment were adjusted to the appropriate position, the harvester began to unload grain onto the grain transport equipment. On the other hand, an unmanned high clearance plant protection machine with a ground clearance of more than 65 centimeters was demonstrated on site, demonstrating the unmanned system control from entering the field to starting work and then leaving the field. The algorithm was adapted according to the terrain of different plots to ensure the accuracy of work in different environments and reduce repeated spraying.

The research and development of unmanned agricultural machinery equipment requires the efforts of scientific research institutions. Cao Guangqiao, Deputy Director of the Nanjing Agricultural Mechanization Research Institute of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, stated that food security is “the greatest of the country”. To implement the strategy of rural revitalization, it is necessary to prioritize ensuring the supply of important agricultural products, especially grain, and prioritize improving the comprehensive agricultural production capacity. How to solve the labor problem of agriculture in suburban areas of mega cities like Nanjing? In recent years, we have been increasing investment in research and development, striving to use technology to help increase agricultural efficiency, “Cao Guangqiao said.

Data is the foundation for building unmanned farms. The on-site display of the “unmanned farm” digital base is based on a large-scale digital map, constructing a smart farm data base that includes farm fields, farm facilities (roads, ditches, pumping stations, warehouses, etc.), soil, meteorology, varieties, management measures, crop growth, etc., fully supporting the operation of the smart farm digital drone operation system. Professor Tang Liang from the School of Agriculture of Nanjing Agricultural University introduced that through an information management platform, real-time updates can be achieved on the planting, environment, fields, agricultural machinery, and irrigation profiles of “unmanned farms”. Remote real-time monitoring of field conditions can be achieved, and remote sensing technology can be used to monitor crop growth, yield, and diagnosis in different plots, generate precise fertilization and irrigation prescriptions, analyze disasters that occur, and predict crop yields.

Zhou Yibo, Director of Nanjing Agricultural Equipment Promotion Center, introduced that since 2022, the city has fully utilized the advantages of agricultural machinery research institutes and enterprise resources to actively promote the construction of the 520 acre rice wheat rotation “unmanned farm” integrated demonstration base, a major agricultural technology equipment integration demonstration project of the Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. At present, the farm has equipped 8 sets of “unmanned” agricultural equipment for the four key links of rice and wheat rotation cultivation, management and harvest; We have achieved the construction goals of “unmanned farms”, including unmanned, precise operations, visualized information management, and intelligent analysis and decision-making. This case also won the sixth place in the province’s “unmanned” rice mechanization harvest competition and was awarded the third prize.