Automation has become an increasingly critical factor in agriculture and smart farming over the last decade. By utilizing advanced technologies such as smart sensing, machine learning, and robotics, farming processes can be optimized in many innovative ways.

With a true mission to make farming easier and increase productivity, TerraClear is developing an end-to-end automation system which focuses specifically on automating rock removal. By using a computer vision-controlled system to map terrain and identify the size and location of rocks embedded in the soil, the heavy lifting is done by automated machinery which saves farmers a lot of time and money.

Farmers deal with rocks and rock removal as they arise annually from tillage, frost heave, and weather impact. If not properly dealt with, rocks break equipment which can lead to costly fixes and substantial delays during the most critical windows of the growing season. Picking rock is often avoided by growers, as it is time-consuming, physically arduous, and perpetually frustrating, which is why most farmers agree that they should pick more rock, but simply do not make the time. Furthermore, with growing farm sizes and increased strain on labor markets around the continent, automating low-skilled tasks are increasingly important.

Existing solutions largely consist of mechanical rock pickers that churn through the soil to pull up rocks, and rollers that push the rocks back into the ground. The mechanical pickers can be effective, but they are very slow and can only be used in specific soil conditions. Therefore, most farmers either pick by hand (walking alongside a tractor/gator/skid steer and placing rocks in manually) or roll their fields. Rolling can be efficient, but in certain soil types has negative effects from compaction, and it typically only solves the problem for small rocks.

TerraClear is developing a Rock Clearance Solution that involves aerial mapping and on-the-ground automated picking. First, a drone conducts a survey using advanced sensors, GPS, and trained neural networks using computer vision to accurately map rocks’ locations and sizes. Then there is a hydraulically controlled implement mounted on a tractor or skid steer. A human then drives the tractor or skid steer on the optimized route provided by the map, and the computer vision on the implement automatically identifies the rock and pulls it into the tractor bucket.

TerraClear’s solution can benefit farmers by providing the ability to clear farm fields of rocks efficiently and cost-effectively, and provide confidence that a high percentage of rocks have been found and removed. This considerably reduces damage to equipment and downtime risks during critical windows of farming.