How to choose the chassis of agricultural robots

Working Environment

• Topography: If the main operation is carried out in flat farmland or orchards, a wheeled chassis can be selected, such as two-wheeled, four-wheeled or multi-wheeled ones. They are flexible in steering and fast in movement speed, and can adapt to relatively flat hard ground. If it is in a complex terrain environment like mountains and slopes with large gradients, a tracked chassis is more suitable. It has a large ground contact area, strong grip, excellent climbing and obstacle-crossing capabilities, and can effectively prevent the robot from skidding sideways or overturning on the slope.
• Soil Conditions: For soft and muddy soil, a tracked chassis or a wheeled chassis with wide tires is a better choice, which can disperse the weight of the robot, reduce soil compaction, and lower the risk of the vehicle getting stuck. When operating in sandy soil, the sand-proof performance of the chassis should be considered, and a wheeled or tracked chassis with good sealing performance should be selected to prevent sand from entering the interior of the chassis and wearing the mechanical components.
• Crop Types: In farmland where low-growing crops such as wheat and rice are planted, the height requirement of the chassis is relatively low, but good passability is needed. A wheeled chassis can be selected, which is convenient for shuttling between the crop rows. In places like orchards and tea gardens where taller crops are planted, the chassis needs to have a certain ground clearance, and a high-chassis wheeled or tracked chassis can be selected to avoid colliding with the crops.

Functional Requirements

• Operation Functions: If the robot is mainly used for operations with high requirements for position accuracy, such as sowing and fertilizing, the chassis needs to have accurate positioning and navigation functions. A chassis equipped with a high-precision positioning system and advanced navigation technology can be selected. For robots used in plant protection operations, the chassis needs to have sufficient load-bearing capacity to carry pesticide tanks, spraying equipment, etc., and at the same time, it should have good stability to ensure that it will not shake or tilt during the spraying process.
• Work Efficiency: Consider the influence of the working width and driving speed on the work efficiency. For large-area farmland operations, a chassis with a larger working width can be selected, and it can be matched with efficient operation equipment to reduce the number of round trips and improve work efficiency. If it is necessary to complete the operation task quickly, a wheeled chassis with a relatively fast driving speed can be selected, but the stability and safety at high speeds should be ensured.

Power and Battery Life

• Power Type: Battery power is clean, environmentally friendly, has low noise, and is easy to maintain. It is suitable for small agricultural robots or scenarios with short operation times and small operation ranges. Fuel power has a large output power and strong battery life, and is suitable for large agricultural robots or situations that require long-term continuous operation.
• Battery Life: Select a chassis with an appropriate battery life according to the operation time and range requirements. For robots that need to operate continuously in the field for a long time, a chassis equipped with a large-capacity battery or a large fuel tank should be selected to reduce the frequency of charging or refueling and improve work efficiency.

Stability and Safety

• Structural Design: The structural design of the chassis directly affects its stability. Select a chassis with a reasonable center of gravity layout and a sturdy frame structure, which can enhance the robot’s anti-overturning ability during operation. Some chassis adopt a design with an adjustable center of gravity, which can be adjusted according to different operation loads and terrain conditions to improve stability.
• Safety Devices: To ensure the safety of operators and equipment, the chassis should be equipped with necessary safety devices, such as emergency stop buttons, anti-collision sensors, overload protection devices, etc.

Cost and Maintenance

• Procurement Cost: The prices of agricultural robot chassis of different types, brands and configurations vary greatly. On the premise of meeting the operation requirements, select a chassis with high cost performance according to the budget. Generally speaking, the cost of wheeled chassis is relatively low, and the prices of tracked chassis and some high-end intelligent chassis are relatively high.
• Maintenance Cost: Consider the maintainability and maintenance cost of the chassis, including the replacement cost of components, maintenance difficulty and maintenance cycle, etc. Select a chassis with a simple structure and strong component versatility, which can reduce the maintenance cost and maintenance time.