These Self-Driving, Weed-Cutting Robots ‘Transform the Future of Farming,’ Says U of G Researcher

The future of farming is near, as robots work alongside tractors in a University of Guelph study underway.  

On the rich soils of the Holland Marsh north of Toronto, two robots drive down a local grower’s field to seed, weed and cultivate. Using precise geolocating, the robots know when they’ve reached the end of the field and when to turn around and start again. They even remember where they’ve planted their seeds in order to cultivate around them.  

Are these self-driving robots, named Farm Droid and Orio, the future of Canadian agriculture?  

U of G researchers will soon find out. New funding from the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance, a collaboration between the Government of Ontario and the University of Guelph, supports the first study to compare these cutting-edge robots to conventional methods.  

Dr. Mary Ruth McDonald, professor in the Department of Plant Agriculture within the Ontario Agricultural College, is leading this three-year project, which began in 2023, at the Ontario Crops Research Centre and farms in Bradford, Ont.   

“The robot addresses real issues that growers are dealing with right now,” says McDonald. “Not only are we providing feedback to the manufacturers, our technicians have been extremely innovative in improving the designs. We’re excited about the potential of these agricultural robots to transform the future of farming practices in Ontario and beyond.”