Inside an Autonomous Soil Sampling Robot

 

As part of Central Valley Ag's effort to ensure consistent, high-quality soil data for your nutrient application maps and other management decisions, we're partnering with ROGO to provide robotic soil sampling. 

We make many decisions based on this soil data (this article from our ACS team gives specific examples), so reliable soil data helps us design more effective and efficient nutrient management plans, especially in challenging economic cycles. 

Robotic sampling services help us address five challenges relating to soil sampling. Here's how it works: 

Challenge 1: Precise, In-Field Navigation 

Built onto a Kubota UTV, these robots use RTK-level GPS to drive themselves to individual core & sample locations, pulled from our agronomy software. The robot steers, accelerates, and brakes completely autonomously, helping us accurately interpret soil data spatially. 

Challenge 2: Core Extraction 

Pulling perfect soil cores is the most important part of this process, as it's how we make sure the samples we're sending to the lab accurately represent the root zone. The hydraulic arm lowers the bucket to the ground, then extends the probe from there to make sure it gets the right depth within 1/8", regardless of ground hardness or moisture. A mechanical scraper system empties the probe into the bucket automatically. 

 

Challenge 3: Quality Control 

The robot uses several sensors to assess the quality of every soil core, including: 

• Probe depth, relative to the ground
• Suspension/frame rising (tells us whether we've hit a rock)
• GPS location, within 3" 
• Bucket dumps (makes sure every core gets into the right sample bag) 

Challenge 4: Logistics

Whether sampling in fall or spring, getting fields sampled quickly and reliably lets us keep other projects (nutrient application, tillage, etc.) on schedule. 

ROGO's team can quickly bring in rigs from around the midwest to keep up in the busy season. These samplers travel with robots, usually pulled by a pickup on a 2-axle trailer. This provides ample space for fuel tanks, sample storage, and sampling supplies. 

Challenge 5: Organization, Packaging & Shipping

Every sample is dumped into a sample bag, scanned into the system by the operator, and boxed up. Once the box is full, the robot automatically prints a check-in sheet for the soil lab, to make sure every sample is accounted for. It then prints a shipping label so we can get it shipped within a day if needed. 

Our goal is to always provide you with the most accurate soil data possible. If you have any questions about how this works, please contact a member of the Central Valley Ag ACS team.