Task and Motion Planning for Selective Weed Conrol using a Team of Autonomous Vehicles

Conventional agricultural fields are sprayed uniformly to control weeds, insects, and diseases. To reduce cultivation expenses, to produce healthier food and to create more environmentally friendly farms, chemicals should only be applied to the right place at the right time and exactly with the right amount. In this article, a task and motion planning for a team of autonomous vehicles to reduce chemicals in farming is presented. Field data are collected by small unmanned helicopters equipped with a range of sensors, including multispectral and thermal cameras. Data collected are transmitted to a ground station to be analyzed and triggers aerial and ground-based vehicles to start close inspection and/or plant/weed treatment in specified areas. A complete trajectory is generated to enable ground-based vehicle to visit infested areas and start chemical/mechanical weed treatment.