Review:
Agricultural Robots in Open Field
Michihisa Iida

Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University
Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
Agricultural robots that are operated in open fields have different mechanisms, sensing technologies, and functionalities depending on the crop and task. In this review, we present the classification of such agricultural robots and describe the mobile mechanism, power source, implementation, navigation, and sensing technology for each task. Finally, conclusions are suggested based on future perspectives.
Electric agricultural platform: Weed mower
- [1] M. Iida, R. Uchida, H. Zhu, M. Suguri, H. Kurita, and R. Masuda, “Path-following control of a head-feeding combine robot,” Engineering in Agriculture, Environment and Food, Vol.6, No.2, pp. 61-67, 2013. https://doi.org/10.11165/eaef.6.61
- [2] M. Iida, D. Kang, M. Taniwaki, M. Tanaka, and M. Umeda, “Localization of CO _2 2 source by a hexapod robot equipped with an anemoscope and a gas sensor,” Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, Vol.63, No.1, pp. 73-80, 2008. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2008.01.016
- [3] K. Takayama, M. Iida, M. Suguri, and R. Masuda, “Automatic travelling of 4-wheel-drive and 4-wheel-steering vehicle ”KATR”,” Report of Kansai Society of Agricultural Machinery and Food Engineers, Vol.138, 2025 (in Japanese).
- [4] S. Ijaz, Y. Shi, Y. A. Khan, M. Khodaverdian, and U. Javid, “Robust adaptive control low design for enhanced stability of agriculture UAV used for pesticide spraying,” Aerospace Science and Technology, Vol.155, Article No.109676, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ast.2024.109676
- [5] Z. Ren, H. Zheng, J. Chen, T. Chen, P. Xie, Y. Xu, J. Beng, H. Wang, M. Sun, and W. Jiao, “Integrating UAV, UGV and UAV-UGV collaboration in future industrialized agriculture: Analysis, opportunities and challenges,” Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, Vol.227, Article No.109631, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2024.109631
- [6] Y. Yamasaki, K. Ishii, and N. Noguchi, “Speed control of an autonomous electric vehicle for orchard spraying,” Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, Vol.236, Article No.110419, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2025.110419
- [7] R. Takai, L. Yang, and N. Noguchi, “Development of crawler-type robot tractor based on GNSs and IMU,” IFAC Proc. Volumes, Vol.46, No.4, pp. 95-98, 2013. https://doi.org/10.3182/20130327-3-JP-3017.00024
- [8] L, Yang, N. Noguchi, and R. Takai, “Development and application of a wheel-type robot tractor,” Engineering in Agriculture, Environment and Food, Vol.9, pp. 131-140, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eaef.2016.04.003
- [9] H. Wang and N. Noguchi, “Navigation of a robot tractor using the centimeter level augmentation information via quasi-zenith satellite system,” Engineering in Agriculture, Environment and Food, Vol.12, No.4, pp. 414-419, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eaef.2019.06.003
- [10] Y. Nagasaka, N. Umeda, Y. Kanetani, K. Taniwaki, and Y. Sasaki, “Autonomous guidance for rice transplanting using global positioning and gyroscopes,” Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, Vol.43, pp. 223-234, 2004. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2004.01.005
- [11] Z. Ma, “Rice row tracking control of crawler tractor based on the satellite and visual integrated navigation,” Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, Vol.197, Article No.106935, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2022.106935
- [12] H. Kurita, M. Iida, W. J. Cho, and M. Suguri, “Rice autonomous harvesting: Operation framework,” J. of Field Robotics, Vol.34, No.6, pp. 1084-1099, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1002/rob.21705
- [13] H. Hsu, M. Iida, J. Zhu, M. Ishii, K. Nonami, and M. Suguri, “Vision-based parking control system for docking to recharge an agricultural electric vehicle,” Engineering in Agriculture, Environment and Food, Vol.18, No.3, pp. 186-192, 2025. https://doi.org/10.37221/eaef.18.3_186
- [14] R. Takai, L, Yang, and N. Noguchi, “Development of a crawler-type robot tractor using RTK-GPS and IMU,” Engineering in Agriculture, Environment and Food, Vol.7, pp. 143-147, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eaef.2014.08.004
- [15] S. Sakai, M. Iida, K. Osuka, and M. Umeda, “Design and control of a heavy material handling manipulator for agricultural robots,” Autonomous Robots, Vol.25, pp. 189-204, 2008. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10514-008-9090-y
- [16] W. Hua, Z. Zhang, W. Zhang, X. Liu, C. Hu, Y. He, M. Mhamed, X. Li, H. Dong, C. K. Saha, W. U. Khan, F. Abid, and M. A. Abdelhamid, “Key technologies in apple harvesting robot for standardized orchards: A comprehensive review of innovations, challenges, and future directions,” Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, Vol.235, Article No.110343, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2025.110343
- [17] Y. Onishi, T. Yoshida, H. Kurita, T. Fukao, H. Arihara, and A. Iwai, “An automated fruit harvesting robot by using deep learning,” ROBOMECH J., Vol.6, Article No.13, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40648-019-0141-2
- [18] D. W. Choi, J. H. Park, J. Yoo, and K. Ko, “AI-driven adaptive grasping and precise detaching robot for efficient citrus harvesting,” Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, Vol.232, Article No.110131, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2025.110131
- [19] K. Lammers, K. Zhang, K. Zhu, P. Chu, Z. Li, and R. Lu, “Development and evaluation of a dual-arm robotic apple harvesting system,” Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, Vol.227, Article No.109586, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2024.109586
- [20] Y. Yang, Y. Han, S. Li, Y. Yang, M. Zhang, and H. Li, “Vision based fruit recognition and positioning technology for harvesting robots,” Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, Vol.213, Article No.108258, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2023.108258
- [21] H. Zhou, A. Ahmed, T. Liu, M. Romeo, T. Beh, Y. Pan, H. Kang, and C. Chen, “Finger vision enabled real-time defect detection in robotic harvesting,” Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, Vol.234, Article No.110222, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2025.110222
- [22] S. Jiang, P. Qi, L. Han, L. Liu, Y. Li, Z. Hung, Y. Liu, and X. He, “Navigation system for orchard spraying robot based on 3D LiDAR SLAM with NDT_ICP point cloud registration,” Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, Vol.220, Article No.108870, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2024.108870
- [23] S. Okamoto, M. Iida, D. Chen, S. Konishi, M. Suguri, and R. Masuda, “Autonomous farm-road traveling of a robot with harvester using LiDAR-SLAM,” J. of Japanese Society of Agricultural Machinery and Food Engineers, Vol.87, No.3, pp. 204-214, 2025 (in Japanese). https://doi.org/10.11357/jsamfe.87.3_204
- [24] J. Gimenez, S. Sansoni, S. Tosetti, F. Capraro, and R. Carelli, “Trunk detection in tree crops using RGB-D images for structure-based ICM-SLAM,” Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, Vol.199, Article No.107099, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2022.107099
- [25] H. G. Kim, H. M. Lee, and S. H. Lee, “A new covariance intersection based integrated SLAM framework for 3D outdoor agricultural applications,” Electronics Letters, Vol.60, No.9, Article No.e13206, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1049/ell2.13206
- [26] N. Noguchi, “Agricultural Vehicle Robot,” J. Robot. Mechatron., Vol.30, No.2, pp. 165-172, 2018. https://doi.org/10.20965/jrm.2018.p0165
- [27] W. Jiang, W. Chen, C. Song, Y. Yan, Y. Zhang, and S. Wang, “Obstacle detection and tracking for intelligent agricultural machinery,” Computers and Electrical Engineering, Vol.108, No.1, Article No.108670, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compeleceng.2023.108670
- [28] R. Ospina and K. Itakura, “Obstacle detection and avoidance system based on layered costmaps for robot tractors,” Smart Agricultural Technology, Vol.11, Article No.100973, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atech.2025.100973
- [29] Y. Li, M. Iida, M. Suguri, and R. Masuda, “Reginal segmentation of field images based on convolutional neural network for rice combine harvester,” J. of the Japanese Society of Agricultural Machinery and Food Engineers, Vol.82, No.1, pp. 47-56, 2020.
- [30] Y. Li, M. Iida, T. Suyama, M. Suguri, and R. Masuda, “Implementation of deep-learning algorithm for obstacle detection and collision avoidance for robotic harvester,” Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, Vol.174, Article No.105499, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2020.105499
- [31] J. Zhu, M. Iida, Y. Li, S. Chen, S. Cheng, M. Suguri, and R. Masuda, “Real-time object detection in rice field images by semantic segmentation for robotic combine harvester – Pixel-wise level detection of rice lodging existence –,” J. of the Japanese Society of Agricultural Machinery and Food Engineers, Vol.84, No.3, pp. 145-154, 2022.
- [32] J. Zhu, M. Iida, S. Chen, S. Cheng, M. Suguri, and R. Masuda, “Paddy field object detection for robotic combine based on real-time semantic segmentation algorithm,” J. of Field Robotics, Vol.41, pp. 273-287, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1002/rob.22260
- [33] S. Chen, M. Iida, Y. Li, J. Zhu, S. Cheng, M. Suguri, and R. Masuda, “Detection of lodging rice areas in rice fields by semantic segmentation via a fisheye-lens camera,” J. of the Japanese Society of Agricultural Machinery and Food Engineers, Vol.85, No.4, pp. 226-233, 2023.
- [34] S. Chen and N. Noboru, “Remote safety system for a robot tractor using a monocular camera and a YOLO-based method,” Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, Vol.215, Article No.108409, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2023.108409
- [35] https://products.iseki.co.jp/tractor/trac-robot/ [Accessed June 15, 2025]
- [36] https://agriculture.kubota.co.jp/product/tractor/MR-1000-AH/ [Accessed June 15, 2025]
- [37] https://www.yanmar.com/jp/about/technology/vision2/robotics.html [Accessed June 15, 2025]
- [38] https://agriculture.kubota.co.jp/product/taueki/NW-8-10S-A/ [Accessed June 15, 2025]
- [39] https://www.yanmar.com/jp/about/ymedia/article/yr8da.html [Accessed June 15, 2025]
- [40] https://www.spidermower.com/SPIDER_ILD01 [Accessed June 15, 2025]
- [41] https://agriculture.kubota.co.jp/product/combine/DR-6130-A/ [Accessed June 15, 2025]
- [42] https://www.yanmar.com/jp/agri/products/harvest/combine/yh6101_yh6115/auto.html [Accessed June 15, 2025]
- [43] https://www.kubota.co.jp/kubotapress/technology/ces-katr.html [Accessed June 15, 2025]
This article is published under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internationa License.