Smart robot set to tackle poisonous ragwort on Dorset farms

A robot designed to detect and remove poisonous ragwort before it threatens livestock is being tested on farms across Dorset.

The autonomous machine, nicknamed Raggy by its creators, has been developed to tackle ragwort while reducing chemical use and labour demands.

It will begin field trials on farms and land across the county throughout the summer.

Ragwort can be fatal to horses and livestock if eaten, while its removal is usually done by hand.

That makes control costly and time-consuming for farmers, landowners and councils managing grazing land and open spaces.

The smart robot has arrived at Dorset Innovation Park, home to the NATO-accredited BattleLab collaboration centre, for final testing.

The park has built a growing reputation as a hub for testing uncrewed systems across land, air and sea.

Although ragwort can threaten grazing animals, it also supports wildlife, including pollinators such as bees and butterflies.

As a result, control is usually targeted, with plants removed from areas where they pose a risk to livestock.

Raggy has been developed by South West firm Robotriks in partnership with Dorset Council and long-time collaborators Telint and Neutral Networks.

The project has received funding from Qualcomm Incorporated through its Qualcomm for Good Initiative, which supports programmes aimed at strengthening economic and social development.

Jake Shaw-Sutton, director of Robotriks, said the company’s Robotic Traction Unit had been designed for practical farm conditions.

“Our Robotic Traction Unit (RTU) is fully electric and built for real-life farm conditions,” he said.

He described the machine as “a modular platform” and “a flexible farm multi-tool” capable of carrying out a range of tasks across agriculture and potentially other sectors.

Mr Shaw-Sutton said Raggy uses advanced machine vision and connected technology, powered by the Qualcomm Dragonwing platform, to identify and remove ragwort mechanically at the root.

“This approach reduces the need for harmful chemicals, supports healthier soils and protects animals and habitat,” he said.

Ben Timmons, senior director of business development at Qualcomm Technologies International, said the project showed how edge AI could be used to modernise agriculture.

“Through Qualcomm for Good, we are proud to support Dorset Council and Robotriks in harnessing edge AI capabilities to modernise agriculture and solve real-world challenges for farmers and the environment,” he said.

He added that Raggy was “a powerful demonstration of what’s possible with intelligent connected technologies”.

Dave Happy, chief executive of Telint, said the project showed Dorset’s willingness to use technology to tackle practical problems.

“This is yet another practical example of Dorset embracing innovative tech solutions to improve the quality of life for livestock and humans alike,” he said.

He added that Dorset’s advantages, particularly access to spectrum, made it an ideal place to test and develop the system.

Councillor Nick Ireland, leader of Dorset Council, said the authority’s rangers spend many hours each year removing ragwort by hand across country parks, nature reserves and open spaces.

“We are delighted this autonomous and environmentally sensitive solution is being tested, evaluated and developed on our land here in Dorset,” he said.

Between field trials, Raggy will be maintained and stored at BattleLab.

The centre is part of an innovation ecosystem focused on dual-use technologies, including uncrewed systems and digital device security.

BattleLab and Dorset Innovation Park are also part of the South West “Global Autonomy Cluster”, which was recently awarded up to £20 million in government funding to support the development, testing and deployment of autonomous technologies.

Dorset Innovation Park is the county’s only Enterprise Zone and has plans to create between 300 and 500 high-value jobs on site by 2031.

If successful, Raggy could give farmers and land managers a more precise way to control ragwort while reducing manual labour and chemical use.