Collaborative Robotics: Designing and Implementing a Robotic System to Support Spraying Drone Operations

Robots are increasingly emerging as effective platforms to overcome a wide range of challenges in agriculture. Beyond functioning as standalone systems, the agricultural robots are proving valuable as collaborative platforms, capable of supporting and integrating with other technologies and agricultural activities. In this study, we designed and implemented an automated system embedded in a robotic platform to support spraying drone operations. The system consists of a robotic platform that carries the spraying drone along with all necessary support devices, including a water tank, chemical reservoirs, a mixer, generators for drone battery charging, and a top landing pad. The system is controlled by a mobile app that calculates the total amount of water and chemicals required and sends commands to the platform to prepare the application mixture. The input information in the app includes field area, application rate, and up to three chemical dosages simultaneously. Additionally, the platform allows the drone to take off and land on it, enhancing both safety and operability. A set of pumps was used to deliver water and chemicals as specified in the mobile app. To automate pump control, we used Arduino technology, including both the microcontroller and a programming environment for coding and designing the mobile app. To validate the system’s effectiveness, we individually measured the amount of water and chemical delivered to the mixer tank and compared it with conventional manual methods for calculating chemical quantities and preparation time. The system demonstrated outstanding performance, achieving high precision and accuracy in delivering the correct amount. This study advances the field of agricultural robotics by highlighting the role of collaborative platforms. Particularly, the system presents a valuable and low-cost solution for small farms and experimental research.