Development and Evaluation of Pasture Tree Cutting Robot

Abstract

The encroachment of Eastern redcedar (ERC) (Juniperus virginiana L.) onto Great Plains prairies has become a serious threat to ecosystem functioning and grazing productivity. The uncontrolled spread of this invasive tree species has been called a »green glacier« converting grasslands into closed canopy woodlands. A pasture tree cutting robot was developed using a tracked Autonomous Ground Vehicle (AGV) equipped with a chainsaw bar to mitigate this green glacier dilemma. The prototype was fitted with amperage and voltage sensors to measure average power consumption and peak power requirements of tree cutting. It was evaluated on ERC and Honeylocust trees up to 20 cm in diameter. Cutting energy and time were determined to evaluate energy optimization and cutting time estimates. A pasture tree clearing energy consumption of the developed prototype was estimated for selected tree density/hectare. The prototype robot was successful in cutting down the intended size trees at a manageable power usage.

Eastern Redcedar: A United States Native Tree That Ranges from Useful, to a Nuisance, and Even Invasive in Certain Environments

“…In fields with many trees and in larger acreage, larger equipment such as bulldozers or mechanical tree harvesters (skid steer with a shear or cutting attachment) may be necessary. Last, a more automated approach was proposed by researchers Badgujar et al (2023) who developed and evaluated a pasture tree-cutting robot using a tracked autonomous ground vehicle equipped with a chainsaw bar to mitigate pasture tree encroachment. Mechanical control is ideal when prescribed fire is not an option given the presence of mature trees or insufficient fuel load.…”