Consulting services
Overview
Eco Clipper, a Dutch manufacturer of electric mowing systems, collaborated with Thorsen Teknik and AgriRobot to develop an autonomous mowing solution for agricultural applications.
To address functional safety requirements, the consortium was supported by agrifoodTEF and the agrifoodTEF Swedish Node, which provided specialised expertise to ensure compliance with relevant standards while enhancing the system’s safety, efficiency, and sustainability.
Impact
The collaboration resulted in a high-performance autonomous mowing solution with enhanced safety capabilities.
The Eco Clipper robot achieves a mowing capacity of up to 7 hectares per hour, with optimised energy consumption and the potential for solar charging, contributing to more sustainable agricultural practices.
Compliance with functional safety standards ensures secure operation and risk reduction, while supporting the broader uptake and scalability of AI-driven automation solutions within the agricultural sector.
As part of a growing portfolio of success stories, this collaboration further illustrates how agrifoodTEF supports innovation from development to real-world deployment, enabling companies to translate advanced AI technologies into safe, reliable, and market-ready solutions for the future of agriculture.
The Challenge
The agricultural sector is experiencing increasing demand for autonomous solutions, driven by structural challenges such as labour shortages, rising fuel costs, and the transition towards more sustainable practices. These pressures are affecting farm productivity and economic viability across Europe, accelerating the need for innovative, resource-efficient technologies.
At the same time, there is a growing expectation for agricultural operations to reduce environmental impact while maintaining high performance and cost efficiency. This further reinforces the need for automation solutions that can operate reliably under varying field conditions.
However, the deployment of autonomous machinery poses significant challenges. Farmers require systems that are not only efficient and reliable, but also fully compliant with safety regulations. The integration of advanced features such as obstacle detection and geofencing further increases system complexity.
In this context, Eco Clipper required a structured approach to functional safety and risk assessment to ensure the safe deployment of its autonomous mowing system.
The Solution
Through Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE), agrifoodTEF provided targeted support on functional safety, assisting Eco Clipper, Thorsen Teknik, and AgriRobot in addressing regulatory and technical requirements in a structured and systematic manner.
The support included risk assessment processes, the definition of safety functions, and guidance to ensure compliance with key standards, including EN ISO 12100 and EN ISO 25119.
This collaboration enabled the integration of advanced AI-based safety functionalities, such as obstacle detection and geofencing, ensuring safe and reliable operation in dynamic agricultural environments.
Overall, the partnership demonstrates how combining industrial expertise with specialised functional safety support can accelerate the development of reliable, sustainable, and scalable autonomous solutions ready for real-world adoption in agriculture.
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