To test the 'Elwobot', the Technical University of Dresden and the Fraunhofer Institute for Transportation and Infrastructure Systems IVI have installed a small mobile 5G transmitter unit on the test fields of the Saxon State Office for Environment, Agriculture and Geology (LfULG) in Dresden-Pillnitz. Until spring 2024, all the work steps that the Elwobot will perform in the future will be tested in an apple orchard. For example, it is being tested how the use of pesticides can be reduced to the absolute minimum by scanning the treetops with a LiDAR sensor that determines the condition of the foliage. In addition, the sensor will continuously monitor the trees' leaf growth and thus provide information on the state of the nutrient supply. Tests are also being carried out to see how well the Elwobot can carry out maintenance measures such as working the area under the trees and mowing and mulching the tramlines.

The robot is to drive fully autonomously, both on planned and learned routes. This includes, for example, driving autonomously to the Agri-PV test facility of the HTW Dresden on the Pillnitz test areas to recharge the battery. Maximum safety for people and the environment is ensured by 2D and 3D laser sensors, which provide orientation and navigation in the plantation and detect obstacles.

In order to process the large amounts of data generated and adapt the crop protection module to the tree structure in real time, the data is sent to a central computer using 5G technology, processed and the adapted control commands are sent back.

The power and alignment of the 5G antenna are limited to the Elwobot's area of operation on the approximately nine-hectare test field in Pillnitz. This is intended to save energy and not interfere with other radio sources such as Wi-Fi, cell phones, CB radio or radios. The project will also test how well this works in practice. In order to further optimize energy consumption, the test field will only be activated for measurements of the transmission power in changing vegetation or for test drives of the Elwobot.

The Elwobot is a joint research project of the TU Dresden and the LfULG. The costs totaling around 1.8 million euros are being borne by the Free State of Saxony. A pre-series model of the Elwobot should be ready in summer 2024.