Glossary

Glossary of agro robotics

Filter by category or search for a term across the atlas.

Platform

A physical robot base — aerial, ground, arm, or hybrid.

Note: The platform defines what the robot can carry, where it can go, and how long it can operate.

UAV

Unmanned aerial vehicle, often a quadcopter or fixed-wing drone.

Note: Used for scouting, mapping, and selective spraying.

UGV

Unmanned ground vehicle, wheeled or tracked.

Note: Used for weeding, seeding, scouting, and hauling implements.

GNSS

Global navigation satellite system; GPS is one example.

Note: Provides global position; with RTK corrections, accuracy reaches centimeter level.

RTK

Real-time kinematic corrections for GNSS.

Note: Improves GNSS accuracy from meters to centimeters using a base station or network.

LiDAR

Light detection and ranging sensor.

Note: Emits laser pulses to build 3D point clouds of the environment.

Multispectral

Camera capturing several discrete wavelength bands.

Note: Enables vegetation indices such as NDVI.

NDVI

Normalized difference vegetation index.

Note: A simple indicator of plant greenness and health.

IMU

Inertial measurement unit combining accelerometer and gyroscope.

Note: Provides orientation and motion data for stabilization and dead reckoning.

SLAM

Simultaneous localization and mapping.

Note: Builds a map while tracking the robot position inside it.

Edge AI

AI inference performed onboard the device.

Note: Reduces latency and dependence on connectivity.

Swarm

Many small robots cooperating on shared tasks.

Note: Distributed decision making and redundancy.

Precision agriculture

Approach where inputs are applied based on local need.

Note: Enabled by sensors, GPS, and decision support.

Variable-rate

Applying inputs at different rates across a field.

Note: Used in seeding, fertilization, and spraying.

Selective harvesting

Picking only ripe or target fruit.

Note: Requires perception, manipulation, and gentle handling.

Mechanical weeding

Removing weeds mechanically instead of chemically.

Note: Often uses vision-guided hoes or lasers.

Voluntary milking

Milking system where cows choose when to be milked.

Note: Supported by sensors, gates, and analytics.

Circular biomass

Reusing farm residues as inputs for other processes.

Note: Closes loops between crops, livestock, and energy.

Geofence

Virtual boundary enforced by software.

Note: Prevents robots from entering restricted zones.

E-stop

Emergency stop that halts robot motion.

Note: Required on all autonomous field machines.

Quick reference

Common terms at a glance.

Acronym	Meaning	Where it is used
UAV	Unmanned aerial vehicle	Scouting, spraying, mapping
UGV	Unmanned ground vehicle	Weeding, hauling, scouting
GNSS	Global navigation satellite system	Outdoor positioning
RTK	Real-time kinematic correction	Centimeter-level positioning
NDVI	Normalized difference vegetation index	Plant health
SLAM	Simultaneous localization and mapping	Greenhouse and orchard navigation
IMU	Inertial measurement unit	Stabilization, dead reckoning

FAQ

Frequently asked questions.

Costs vary widely. Smaller robots and service models (robots-as-a-service) are making robotics more accessible to small and medium farms, especially in cooperatives.

Robots shift the kind of work available. Routine physical tasks decline, while roles in robot supervision, data analysis, and maintenance grow.

Precision agriculture is a farming approach. Robotics is one way to implement it, alongside decision-support software and remote sensing.