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The future of food includes self-driving tractors, precision agriculture, robots, AI, and IoT

21 of 22 NEXT PREV
  • Closing the hunger gap

    Closing the hunger gap

    The world's population is expected to reach over 9 billion by the year 2050. This poses a unique situation for farmers as they attempt to find viable methods for producing enough food to feed everyone. Luckily, technology is growing almost as fast as the human race and can hopefully help prevent a food shortage crisis. The following farms are using IoT, AI, precision farming, and other modern methods to streamline operations and increase crop yield.

    This gallery was originally published on TechRepublic.

    Published: December 12, 2018 -- 16:18 GMT (08:18 PST)

    Photo by: iStock/NolanBerg11

    Caption by: Kristen Lotze

  • Last-minute equipment checks using an iPad

    Last-minute equipment checks using an iPad

    The John Deere test facility in Bondurant, IA is taking advantage of technologies like GPS, self-driving tractors, advanced planters and sprayers, AI, and IoT to find the best ways to harness land and increase crop production.

    John Deere test farm manager Marcus Hall makes last-minute system checks on a new row crop tractor from an iPad. (Caption by Natalie Gagliordi)

    Read the full cover story by Natalie Gagliordi: How self-driving tractors, AI, and precision agriculture will save us from the impending food crisis

    Published: December 12, 2018 -- 16:18 GMT (08:18 PST)

    Photo by: Derek Poore

    Caption by: Kristen Lotze

  • Preparing for a field test

    Preparing for a field test

    John Deere test farm manager Marcus Hall prepares for a field test in Bondurant, IA. (Caption by Natalie Gagliordi)

    Read the full cover story by Natalie Gagliordi: How self-driving tractors, AI, and precision agriculture will save us from the impending food crisis

    Published: December 12, 2018 -- 16:18 GMT (08:18 PST)

    Photo by: Image: Derek Poore

    Caption by: Kristen Lotze

  • Checking system connectivity

    Checking system connectivity

    Marcus Hall checks system connectivity on one of John Deere's newest row crop tractors. (Caption by Natalie Gagliordi)

    Read the full cover story by Natalie Gagliordi: How self-driving tractors, AI, and precision agriculture will save us from the impending food crisis

    Published: December 12, 2018 -- 16:18 GMT (08:18 PST)

    Photo by: Image: Derek Poore

    Caption by: Kristen Lotze

  • Testing out new planters and sprayers

    Testing out new planters and sprayers

    John Deere performs field tests on its newest planters and sprayers at its test farm in Bondurant, IA. (Caption by Natalie Gagliordi)

    Read the full cover story by Natalie Gagliordi: How self-driving tractors, AI, and precision agriculture will save us from the impending food crisis

    Published: December 12, 2018 -- 16:18 GMT (08:18 PST)

    Photo by: Image: Derek Poore

    Caption by: Kristen Lotze

  • The John Deere row crop tractor

    The John Deere row crop tractor

    The backend of John Deere's row crop tractor is prepared for planting. (Caption by Natalie Gagliordi)

    Read the full cover story by Natalie Gagliordi: How self-driving tractors, AI, and precision agriculture will save us from the impending food crisis

    Published: December 12, 2018 -- 16:18 GMT (08:18 PST)

    Photo by: Image: Derek Poore

    Caption by: Kristen Lotze

  • Error alert

    Error alert

    Sensors on a John Deere row crop tractor trigger an error alert on an in-cab screen when a part of the system malfunctions. (Caption by Natalie Gagliordi)

    Read the full cover story by Natalie Gagliordi: How self-driving tractors, AI, and precision agriculture will save us from the impending food crisis

    Published: December 12, 2018 -- 16:18 GMT (08:18 PST)

    Photo by: Image: Derek Poore

    Caption by: Kristen Lotze

  • Using GPS to avoid crop overlap

    Using GPS to avoid crop overlap

    With advanced GPS, a tractor operator can tell which rows have been planted to avoid overlap. (Caption by Natalie Gagliordi)

    Read the full cover story by Natalie Gagliordi: How self-driving tractors, AI, and precision agriculture will save us from the impending food crisis

    Published: December 12, 2018 -- 16:18 GMT (08:18 PST)

    Photo by: Image: Derek Poore

    Caption by: Kristen Lotze

  • John Deere crop sprayer

    John Deere crop sprayer

    The massive arms of a John Deere crop sprayer unfold like a transformer. (Caption by Natalie Gagliordi)

    Read the full cover story by Natalie Gagliordi: How self-driving tractors, AI, and precision agriculture will save us from the impending food crisis

    Published: December 12, 2018 -- 16:18 GMT (08:18 PST)

    Photo by: Image: Derek Poore

    Caption by: Kristen Lotze

  • Meet Harry

    Meet Harry

    Small Robot Company and HandsFree Hectare, two UK-based projects via Harper Adams University, are using methods such as IoT, autonomous robotics, modern photography methods, and AI to take precision agriculture to the next level; through these technologies, the projects hope to provide solutions to the imminent food shortage issue.

    This is an early design for Harry, Small Robot Company's precision drilling and planting robot. (Caption by Charles McLellan)

    Read the full cover story by Charles McLellan: Smart farming: How IoT, robotics, and AI are tackling one of the biggest problems of the century

    Published: December 12, 2018 -- 16:18 GMT (08:18 PST)

    Photo by: Image: Small Robot Company

    Caption by: Kristen Lotze

  • Introducing Rachael

    Introducing Rachael

    Rachael, SRC's prototype robot, is used for testing control systems and gathering AI training data. (Caption by Charles McLellan)

    Read the full cover story by Charles McLellan: Smart farming: How IoT, robotics, and AI are tackling one of the biggest problems of the century

    Published: December 12, 2018 -- 16:18 GMT (08:18 PST)

    Photo by: Image: Small Robot Company

    Caption by: Kristen Lotze

  • Haraka

    Haraka

    SRC's precision-planting mechanism will be based on the haraka, a simple punch-planting device. (Caption by Charles McLellan)

    Read the full cover story by Charles McLellan: Smart farming: How IoT, robotics, and AI are tackling one of the biggest problems of the century

    Published: December 12, 2018 -- 16:18 GMT (08:18 PST)

    Photo by: Image: Eden Equip

    Caption by: Kristen Lotze

  • Agri-Tech East REAP Conference

    Agri-Tech East REAP Conference

    The latest prototype of Small Robot Company's Harry, a precision drilling and planting robot, at the Agri-Tech East REAP Conference in November 2018. Pictured are: Belinda Clarke (left), Director of Agri-Tech East, and Sam Watson Jones (right), co-founder of Small Robot Company. (Caption by Charles McLellan)

    Read the full cover story by Charles McLellan: Smart farming: How IoT, robotics, and AI are tackling one of the biggest problems of the century

    Published: December 12, 2018 -- 16:18 GMT (08:18 PST)

    Photo by: Image: Agri-Tech East

    Caption by: Kristen Lotze

  • Look, no hands

    Look, no hands

    The HandsFree Hectare project grows crops using autonomous machinery. No human has set foot in the one-hectare field for two seasons. (Caption by Charles McLellan)

    Read the full cover story by Charles McLellan: Smart farming: How IoT, robotics, and AI are tackling one of the biggest problems of the century

    Published: December 12, 2018 -- 16:18 GMT (08:18 PST)

    Photo by: Image: HandsFree Hectare

    Caption by: Kristen Lotze

  • Tractor meets drill

    Tractor meets drill

    A small, lightweight seed drill, normally used for planting between rows of vines, was used to sow the barley crop. (Caption by Charles McLellan)

    Read the full cover story by Charles McLellan: Smart farming: How IoT, robotics, and AI are tackling one of the biggest problems of the century

    Published: December 12, 2018 -- 16:18 GMT (08:18 PST)

    Photo by: Image: HandsFree Hectare

    Caption by: Kristen Lotze

  • Autonomous combine

    Autonomous combine

    An autonomous combine--again, smaller and lighter than conventional farm machinery--harvesting HFHa's first crop in September 2017. (Caption by Charles McLellan)

    Read the full cover story by Charles McLellan: Smart farming: How IoT, robotics, and AI are tackling one of the biggest problems of the century

    Published: December 12, 2018 -- 16:18 GMT (08:18 PST)

    Photo by: Image: HandsFree Hectare

    Caption by: Kristen Lotze

  • Farming equipment at Purdue University

    Farming equipment at Purdue University

    The Agronomy Center for Research and Education (ACRE) at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN along with Land O'Lakes/WinField United are exploring how the implementation of big data, satellite imagery and drones, IoT sensors, and genetic testing can lower agricultural costs and improve the overall farming process.

    Farm equipment at the Agronomy Center for Research and Education at Purdue University. (Caption by Teena Maddox)

    Read the full cover story by Teena Maddox: Agriculture 4.0: How digital farming is revolutionizing the future of food

    Published: December 12, 2018 -- 16:18 GMT (08:18 PST)

    Photo by: Image: Derek Poore/TechRepublic

    Caption by: Kristen Lotze

  • Test fields

    Test fields

    Test fields at the Agronomy Center for Research and Education at Purdue University. (Caption by Teena Maddox)

    Read the full cover story by Teena Maddox: Agriculture 4.0: How digital farming is revolutionizing the future of food

    Published: December 12, 2018 -- 16:18 GMT (08:18 PST)

    Photo by: Image: Derek Poore/TechRepublic

    Caption by: Kristen Lotze

  • Testing plant growth

    Testing plant growth

    Testing variables in plant growth at the Agronomy Center for Research and Education at Purdue University. (Caption by Teena Maddox)

    Read the full cover story by Teena Maddox: Agriculture 4.0: How digital farming is revolutionizing the future of food

    Published: December 12, 2018 -- 16:18 GMT (08:18 PST)

    Photo by: Image: Derek Poore/TechRepublic

    Caption by: Kristen Lotze

  • Touring the facility

    Touring the facility

    Jim Beaty (right), superintendent of the Purdue Agronomy Center, doing a tour of his facility. (Caption by Teena Maddox)

    Read the full cover story by Teena Maddox: Agriculture 4.0: How digital farming is revolutionizing the future of food

    Published: December 12, 2018 -- 16:18 GMT (08:18 PST)

    Photo by: Image: Derek Poore/TechRepublic

    Caption by: Kristen Lotze

  • Testing the equipment

    Testing the equipment

    Testing high-tech farm equipment at the Agronomy Center for Research and Education at Purdue University. (Caption by Teena Maddox)

    Read the full cover story by Teena Maddox: Agriculture 4.0: How digital farming is revolutionizing the future of food

    Published: December 12, 2018 -- 16:18 GMT (08:18 PST)

    Photo by: Image: Derek Poore/TechRepublic

    Caption by: Kristen Lotze

  • Farming technology

    Farming technology

    Technology in place at the Agronomy Center for Research and Education at Purdue University. (Caption by Teena Maddox)

    Read the full cover story by Teena Maddox: Agriculture 4.0: How digital farming is revolutionizing the future of food

    Also see

    • The future of food (ZDNet/TechRepublic special feature)
    • How 5G will impact the future of farming and John Deere's digital transformation (ZDNet)
    • Robotic indoor farms can grow food anywhere, anytime (ZDNet)
    • Farming for the future: How one company uses big data to maximize yields and minimize impact (TechRepublic)
    • Drone technologies could increase farmers' productivity by 500 percent (TechRepublic)
    • Walmart now uses blockchain to trace food, will others follow? (TechRepublic)
    • More must-see food tech coverage (TechRepublic Flipboard magazine)
    Published: December 12, 2018 -- 16:18 GMT (08:18 PST)

    Photo by: Image: Derek Poore/TechRepublic

    Caption by: Kristen Lotze

21 of 22 NEXT PREV
Kristen Lotze

By Kristen Lotze | December 12, 2018 -- 16:18 GMT (08:18 PST)

  • Closing the hunger gap
  • Last-minute equipment checks using an iPad
  • Preparing for a field test
  • Checking system connectivity
  • Testing out new planters and sprayers
  • The John Deere row crop tractor
  • Error alert
  • Using GPS to avoid crop overlap
  • John Deere crop sprayer
  • Meet Harry
  • Introducing Rachael
  • Haraka
  • Agri-Tech East REAP Conference
  • Look, no hands
  • Tractor meets drill
  • Autonomous combine
  • Farming equipment at Purdue University
  • Test fields
  • Testing plant growth
  • Touring the facility
  • Testing the equipment
  • Farming technology

Get a first-hand look at how technology is transforming the way food is being produced for a rapidly growing population.

Read More Read Less

Testing the equipment

Testing high-tech farm equipment at the Agronomy Center for Research and Education at Purdue University. (Caption by Teena Maddox)

Read the full cover story by Teena Maddox: Agriculture 4.0: How digital farming is revolutionizing the future of food

Published: December 12, 2018 -- 16:18 GMT (08:18 PST)

Caption by: Kristen Lotze

21 of 22 NEXT PREV

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Kristen Lotze

By Kristen Lotze | December 12, 2018 -- 16:18 GMT (08:18 PST)

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