June 23, 2022 – Agricultural Engineering Department by Assoc. Prof. Khwantree Saengprachatanarak, Ph.D., organized a press meeting to publicize the work and report about the research work that, when at the practicing level, will help reduce the production cost and upgrade Thai agricultural industry. The work is under the Robot and Unmanned Vehicle Project for farm work. The robot and vehicle are of high accuracy and will lead to possibility of running virtual big farms. The news release was arranged at the Auditorium of the Main Building of Khon Kaen University Science Park and also at the demonstration farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University. The event was led by Mr. Natthapon Rangsitphon, General Director of the Department of Industrial Promotion; Prof. Thidarat Boonmars, Ph.D., Vice President for Innovation and Enterprise, KKU; Assoc. Prof. Thongchai Suwansichana, Deputy Director for Research Administration from the Program Management Unit for Competitiveness (PMUC). Many academics and farmers also attended the event and witnessed the research outcome demonstration.
Assoc. Prof. Khwantree Saengprachatanarak, Ph.D., a professor from the Department of Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, KKU, explained that sugarcane farmers are aware of the production cost and want to save their expense. However, there has been as yet no technology or innovation that will accurately help the farmers assess the risk and reduce their cost, as well as increasing their products. Therefore, the department has conducted research with the private sector to develop the analytical system and transform the aerial photographs from unmanned drone. As a result, the information necessary for analysis, planning the production and reducing the risk in managing sugarcane plantation is obtained. The research was under collaboration with the research team from PMUC, and H.G. Robotics Co. Ltd, who have expertise in AI; and Global Crops Co. Ltd. who assisted in providing the drone for the survey. The work led to possibility in solving the problem at its accurate point according to the accuracy farming principle. The result shows that the cost can be reduced and the production can increase from 10 tons per rai to 12 tons per rai.
News Info: https://www.khonkaenlink.info/read/649693/
News: Jarunee Nuanboonma
