Report
A review of current mechanical & robotic tree pruning equipment
Forest & Wood Products Australia Limited
2022
Abstract
This review report provides an overview of current and emerging mechanical and robotic tree pruning equipment for use in plantation forest management. Recently, increased interest has been expressed by plantation forest managers in the potential economic use of mechanical or robotic tree pruning systems to do pruning either for bushfire risk management or improved resource value. The RD&E sector has expressed interest in both importing and testing specific commercial solutions, or the design and development of specific solutions for Australia. However, before committing an RD&E investment in this space, an independent international review of the state of the technology in use, or development for mechanical or robotic tree pruning is requested. The technical review is supported by a literature review on the development and application of mechanical and robotic tree pruning.
From the review it is apparent that improvements in technologies have been made since the initial robotic pruning equipment introduced in the ‘60s, however, the range of equipment is very limited. From the earliest robotic pruning systems such as the Sachs Tree Monkey, several issues have been identified, in particular, those relating to the weight of the equipment, agility and range of application, and the capacity to move along whorls or to cut large branches (>5 cm in diameter) on stems. Many of these issues are still present in more modern equipment such as the Patas.
However, this report notes a trend in upcoming improvements and investments such as those in the Patas, UAV-based pruning, and futuristic Stick Insect robots. Their capacity to be operated remotely increases work health and safety. UAV’s and the Stick Insect need further development to become operational and commercial, however, their remote control and access to rugged terrain are attractive attributes.
Details
- Title
- A review of current mechanical & robotic tree pruning equipment
- Authors
- Sam Van Holsbeeck (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Forest Industries Research CentreMark Brown (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Forest Industries Research Centre
- Additional notes
- Project number: PRC522-2021.
- Publication details
- 21 pages
- Publisher
- Forest & Wood Products Australia Limited
- ISBN
- 9781922718068
- Organisation Unit
- Forest Industries Research Centre; Forest Research Institute
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99745898902621
- Output Type
- Report
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