Farming is typically not an industry that immediately comes to mind when thinking of automation. Despite these presumptions, automation, especially collaborative robots (cobots), is starting to reshape the sector. As cobots in agriculture become increasingly prominent, farmers and agricultural companies should pay more attention to this technology.

Agricultural automation is still a relatively new field, so understanding how to use it effectively is evolving as the sector matures. Here are seven insights worth taking away from the rise of agricultural cobots.

1. Agricultural Cobots Are Becoming More Common

The most straightforward trend to recognize is that cobots are becoming increasingly popular. Roughly 70% of surveyed growers have already invested in automation of some kind as of 2022. Harvest-assisting collaborative robots account for some of the fastest growth within these investments, highlighting the rising prominence of cobots in agriculture.

Such high adoption figures are noteworthy for a few reasons. First, the farming industry has been heavily manual for centuries, and automation was relatively scarce within it even a few years ago. So many farmers investing in the technology now suggests the sector is on the verge of considerable disruption.

Secondly, cobots’ rapid growth may indicate a necessary change among large farms to remain competitive. As collaborative automation becomes standard, those that don’t capitalize on the technology may be unable to keep up with more heavily automated competitors.

2. Farm Automation Reduces Long-Term Expenses

Agricultural cobots’ growth is more than excitement around novel technology. These machines produce real value for modern farms, especially in terms of long-term economics, despite their high upfront costs.

Current research suggests that precision spraying robots can deliver roughly $300 of value per acre annually, and pruning automation can drive as much as $800 per acre. Combining multiple use cases across an entire farm leads to substantial overall cost savings. Eventually, such cost-effectiveness can double or even quadruple farmers’ return on investment (ROI).

It’s also worth considering that these value statements could grow in the future. Technological improvements will lead to higher cobot efficiency and lower costs, producing a quicker ROI. This potential for long-term savings is likely the key driver behind many farms’ spending on cobots.

3. Cobots Can Mitigate Farmhand Shortages

As the use of cobots in agriculture has grown, their potential to address labor shortages has also become clear. Filling roles that go unfilled by humans is part of what makes collaborative automation so cost-effective. Farms can maintain higher productivity without a tight labor market constraining their growth.

Like many other blue-collar professions, agriculture has seen declining staffing availability in recent years. A worrying 53% of all farms report labor shortages, with farmers saying their workforces are 21% lower than the previous norm on average. This gap could expand in the future as current farmhands age and fewer young workers enter the sector.

The efficiency uptick among farms using cobots showcases their ability to mitigate such concerns. When robots can handle much of the time-consuming and tedious work, agricultural businesses need fewer employees to accomplish the same amount. Collaborative automation results in fewer manual tasks and more time in workers’ schedules to perform them.

4. Cobots May Assuage Job Loss Concerns

At the same time, rising automation tends to cause anxiety over potential job losses among existing workers. With the global cobot market estimated to be worth $9.2 billion by 2028, it’s understandable that technology’s rapid growth may lead to job security fears. However, cobots provide a unique opportunity for employers to address these worries.

Unlike conventional robotics, cobots are designed to work alongside humans instead of replacing them directly. Consequently, opting for this balanced approach instead of removing farmhands’ roles entirely could show workers that farmers value their presence and do not intend to lay them off. This assurance could boost employee engagement, which would otherwise suffer.

Studies show that formally informing workers about automated tools and their benefits for the workforce helps foster automation acceptance, especially regarding cobots. By demonstrating cobots’ time-saving benefits and lower job risks, farms can adopt technology without worrying their employees.

5. AI Makes Agricultural Cobots More Reliable

A few technological best practices have also emerged as the agricultural cobot market has matured. One crucial insight here is that cobots with artificial intelligence (AI) functionality deliver far more value than their counterparts.

Many agricultural tasks, like picking fruits and vegetables, are repetitive but not uniform. Fruits vary in size and shape, and not all crops become ready to harvest simultaneously. Consequently, conventional rules-based cobots may cause errors, but AI gives them needed adaptability.

Machine vision systems help cobots see their work and let them know when and how to harvest a specific plant. Researchers have also used generative AI to design cobots that work better in the field, showing how human-AI collaboration can improve robot effectiveness. The key takeaway for agricultural companies is that cobot models with AI functionality, although likely costlier, tend to outperform conventional alternatives.

6. Safety and Cobots Have a Complex Relationship

Another unique consideration that has emerged amid the higher use of cobots in agriculture is these machines’ uneven impact on farmhand safety. In some cases, collaborative robots can reduce work-related injuries, but they also present hazards of their own.

Cobots’ potential for greater safety lies mainly in their tendency to automate hazardous tasks. Poor posture and muscle strain while working can lead to shoulder pain, and repetitive motions are a common cause of musculoskeletal injuries. When cobots manage the most repetitive or intensely physical workflows, they remove human workers from the risk of injury.

At the same time, cobots may harm farmhands if they run into them. Cybersecurity vulnerabilities could also open them up to remote takeover, causing physical incidents. Consequently, farms must ensure their cobots have tight security controls and reliable emergency stop mechanisms to ensure safety.

7. Cobots Provide Unique Value in Urban Farming

Some agricultural subsectors gain more from cobots than others. As this technology has advanced, its potential in urban farming has become particularly noteworthy.

Urban agriculture produces up to 20% of the global food supply and is an important part of feeding a growing population while mitigating environmental risks. However, it requires additional precision, as conventional pollination, fertilization and irrigation techniques are either impractical or impossible in urban or indoor environments. Cobots can help.

Automation performs repetitive tasks with greater repeatability and cannot get tired or distracted. Custom tool ends can interact with plants on a scale that would be too small to manage manually. Consequently, cobots are the ideal way to tend to urban crops to ensure their growth while minimizing errors.

The Growth of Cobots in Agriculture Demands Attention

Farmers can no longer ignore the rise of cobots in agriculture. The technology is too impactful and growing too quickly to overlook its potential.

Learning the benefits and best implementation practices surrounding agricultural cobots is the first step to capitalizing on them. Once farms do that, they can ensure cost-effectiveness, safety, precision and competitiveness in the future.