Described herein are high intensity illumination systems including lighting arrays of lights, such as light emitting diodes, configured to illuminate a surface. The lighting arrays are configured to illuminate the surface with illumination comparable to or multiple times brighter than the ambient illumination, such as sunlight. Also described herein are methods of using a high intensity illumination system to illuminate a surface for applications including imaging, object detection, and object localization. The systems and methods described herein may be applied to a range of industries including farming, agriculture, construction, and autonomous vehicles.

The invention relates to a method for maintaining agricultural land (110), comprising: preparing, by means of a computing device (160) comprising a processor (161) and a computer memory (162), a map of the agricultural land from previously acquired images of the agricultural land, a plurality of growing areas (120), each comprising a plurality of parallel growing rows (130), being defined in the map prepared; assigning a list of growing areas to be treated to a stand-alone vehicle (140) depending on an initial position and a final position of the stand-alone vehicle and the position of the growing areas to be treated; determining a travel plan for the stand-alone vehicle from the list of growing areas assigned to the vehicle with due regard to the orientation of the rows in the growing areas to be treated; and moving the stand-alone vehicle according to the previously established travel plan.

An apparatus for applying a desired amount of mechanical abrasion to plants and selective cutting of undesirable plant material. The apparatus includes a base, a brush and an elevation device for maintaining the base at desirable height. The base has a first longitudinal axis and a plurality of grooves, the grooves being oriented approximately perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis. The brush has a second longitudinal axis and a plurality of bristles and/or blades extending outwardly from the second longitudinal axis. The brush is attached to the apparatus such that the second longitudinal axis is substantially parallel to the first longitudinal axis and the brush is rotatable about the second longitudinal axis. The brush is spaced from the base such that the plurality of bristles engage the plurality of grooves. The base is adjustable enabling the operator to move the base closer or further from the rotating brush/blades.

An apparatus for applying a desired amount of mechanical abrasion to plants and selective cutting of undesirable plant material. The apparatus includes a base, a brush and an elevation device for maintaining the base at desirable height. The base has a first longitudinal axis and a plurality of grooves, the grooves being oriented approximately perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis. The brush has a second longitudinal axis and a plurality of bristles and/or blades extending outwardly from the second longitudinal axis. The brush is attached to the apparatus such that the second longitudinal axis is substantially parallel to the first longitudinal axis and the brush is rotatable about the second longitudinal axis. The brush is spaced from the base such that the plurality of bristles engage the plurality of grooves. The base is adjustable enabling the operator to move the base closer or further from the rotating brush/blades.

Systems and methods of using an unmanned aerial or land vehicle (e.g. drone) for agricultural and/or pest control applications, such as on farms, golf courses, parks, and/or along roadways, power lines, etc. The system may have a drone receiving a pesticide from a base station dispensing the pesticide and a holding tank supplying the base station with the pesticide.

Systems and methods of using an unmanned aerial or land vehicle (e.g. drone) for agricultural and/or pest control applications, such as on farms, golf courses, parks, and/or along roadways, power lines, etc. The system may have a drone receiving a pesticide from a base station dispensing the pesticide and a holding tank supplying the base station with the pesticide.

An apparatus for weed removal includes a chassis and at least two end effectors mechanically coupled to the chassis, each end effectors including a rotary axle, each rotary axle coupled to a drive unit for receiving a mechanical force to cause the rotary axle to rotate. The rotary axles, along with weed abrasion members coupled thereto, are at least partially covered by a deflector. A front end effector is configured to dislodge a crown and/or stem portion of unwanted plant material from the ground, while another end effector is configured to convert the unwanted plant material that has been dislodged from the ground into mulch.

An apparatus for weed removal includes a chassis and at least two end effectors mechanically coupled to the chassis, each end effectors including a rotary axle, each rotary axle coupled to a drive unit for receiving a mechanical force to cause the rotary axle to rotate. The rotary axles, along with weed abrasion members coupled thereto, are at least partially covered by a deflector. A front end effector is configured to dislodge a crown and/or stem portion of unwanted plant material from the ground, while another end effector is configured to convert the unwanted plant material that has been dislodged from the ground into mulch.

A method including: recording a first image of a first field region; automatically treating a plant within the first region in-situ based on the first image; automatically verifying the plant treatment with a second image of the first region; and automatically treating a second region concurrently with treatment verification.

A method including: recording a first image of a first field region; automatically treating a plant within the first region in-situ based on the first image; automatically verifying the plant treatment with a second image of the first region; and automatically treating a second region concurrently with treatment verification.