Sensing, robotics, automation and their integration with advanced planning and decision support systems are the main drivers of the Forest 4.0 concept. The digital transition of forestry operations will thus be driven by the adoption of new generation equipment and more agile decision-making processes.
The Navigator Company and Fravizel are developing the ARG, a new forestry machinr based on the concept of partial tillage for land preparation, with benefits for the soil, in particular in terms of conservation of organic matter and water retention. This machine integrates digital tools from the new Forest 4.0, favoring the efficiency and safety of forestry operations with consumption and costs savings and with greater environmental gain.
In collaboration, INESC TEC is developing a feature for this machine, that allows fertilization at a variable rate, recording soil profile and its performance. This equipment, whose version 2.0 is being prepared, allows sharing of information between the machine and the manager/producer, being a support for forest management planning.
With the robotization and digitalization of the value chain processes, the intention is to move towards a direction where the equipment has a function, not only operational, but also of integrating soil information. Thus, facilitating monitoring, management and future forestry operations, such as in this case, mechanized planting in georeferenced planting lines.
