Remote-controlled garbage bins used to glide through America’s most beloved theme parks, Disneyland and Walt Disney World, encourage visitors to put trash inside of them, but the widespread usage of robotics in larger-scale cleaning operations, such as land clearance, is still on the horizon.
Large machinery, such as mulchers, backhoes, and bulldozers, is generally utilized to clear spaces for new developments, whether they are industrial, commercial, or residential.
The technology used in these large machines is evolving rapidly, so these big machines do provide impressive performance. However, when it comes to efficient, eco-conscious cleaning and clearing in the future, robotics will surely play a bigger role.
Track loaders are going robotic
As robots become increasingly sophisticated tools, autonomous machines will be a more dependable option for excavation tasks as well as the monitoring of land clearance workflows.
One example of robotics in action in the land clearance industry is an automated track loader manufactured by Built Robotics.
Known as an ATL for short, it was created to handle excavation tasks at smaller sites. With this track loader, materials get measured as they are excavated, and global positioning system (GPS) tech is utilized to keep the robot moving where it needs to go.
While robotic equipment produced by San Francisco-based Built Robots is exciting, it’s not the norm just yet.
Most land clearance is still performed by workers in large machines who directly handle machine controls and make decisions.
It will take time before the land clearance industry is comfortable with unmanned machines of this type.
Robots can provide support to workers
Robots and artificial intelligence are becoming a fact of life in all industries, including land clearing, and they often offer support to workers, rather than taking jobs.
For example, a robot might traverse a site and gather granular data that project managers use to get things done right.
Excavation is the first step in construction, after the planning phase, and support robots are already out there, helping construction workers with a range of tasks, from taking photos and videos to jobsite analytics and beyond.
As robotics becomes more commonplace for excavation and other aspects of construction, the really tough jobs may be handled by robots, to minimize worksite danger and physical strain.
Many robots will augment construction workforces, rather than replacing human beings.
As an example, a company called Piaggio Fast Forward currently produces a robot that carries cargo for workers.
Autonomous mowers are also gaining popularity
These types of lawn mowers have been around for some time, for commercial and residential applications, but they are becoming more commonplace.
Since many land clearing companies offer to get rid of brush, bark, and grass for clients, these mowing robots have a place in the future of the land clearance industry.
A solar-powered autonomous mower known as a Graze is garnering interest from industry experts, according to Entrepreneur, thanks to its optical suite, GPS and overall precision.
During the pandemic, pondering a future with the typical joys and freedoms is a nice escape from the cares of the day, and envisioning robots taking care of arduous excavation tasks to spare human beings fatigue and danger is also a pleasant diversion.
Robots can certainly be helpmates, rather than replacing real people who need jobs.
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