Robots in the field: farms embracing autonomous technology

EAST MEON, England: Faced with seesawing commodity prices and the pressure to be more efficient and environmentally friendly, farmer Jamie Butler is trying out a new worker on his 450-acre farm in England’s Hampshire countryside. 

Methodically inspecting Butler’s winter wheat crop for weeds and pests, the labourer doesn’t complain or even break a sweat. That’s because it’s a four-wheel robot dubbed “Tom” that uses GPS, artificial intelligence and smartphone technology to digitally map the field.