Our project with Central Queensland University, “Unmanned Ground Vehicle Enabled Fruit Yield Prediction and Autonomous Harvesting,” was successful in Round 3 of the National Industry PhD Program, run by the federal Department of Education for the Australian government. We will be partnering with Dr Zhenglin Wang and the team at Institute for Future Farming Systems on this exciting research initiative.
Out of 143 applications submitted across a variety of research fields in this Round, 48 research projects were awarded funding:
- 21 Industry Linked projects
- 27 Industry Researcher projects
You can read about all the successful projects by downloading the full list here.
The National Industry PhD Program is designed to support PhD candidates in undertaking industry-focused research projects. This program aims to equip researchers with the knowledge and skills necessary to translate university research into commercial outcomes effectively.
Our project aims to integrate use of unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) technology into both orchard imaging and harvesting technologies, with implementation of additional sensors and AI-driven computing, and to develop new capabilities in data harvesting and interpretation, e.g., in the creation of yield maps from harvester data. Through the automation of data collection and analysis tasks using UGVs, AI-driven computing, and cloud-based web app, the goal of this project is to provide usable tools to growers to optimize farming practices, improve resource allocation, and enhance crop yield and quality, by supporting informed decisions in a timely manner.
We are honoured to be part of this program and look forward to contributing to the advancement of technology in agriculture through this innovative research. As the Science and Technology Australia STEM Ambassador for Bowen, our Director Amanda White is particularly excited to see her work roles coming together.
Thank you to the Department of Education and Central Queensland University for this incredible opportunity. Stay tuned for updates on our progress!
