The test fields at the RISE Testbed for Digitalised Agriculture consist of five fields, each approximately 1 hectare in size, with a total area of 8 hectares. The fields and their collected data can be used to test products and services under real-world conditions with AI and autonomous vehicles for agriculture. Various crops are cultivated on these fields, and one field is designated as a bare ground area for testing autonomous agricultural machinery.
The spraytent (10x20 meters) is a facility for testing perception units typically used in automated or robotised machines, i.e. cameras, radars or lidars. The test equipment consists of a mounting rig (for the sensor units being tested), the water spray and the object used for the detection test. There is also a contrast board to measure and document the visibility through the water spray during the test. Both the water spray and the light intensity can be adjusted depending on the use case.
The AstaZero FLXZone is a flat asphalt surface of approximately 170 m x 130 m. The area has a control tower for test monitoring in a safe location. FLXZone is highly customisable, allowing for different test scenarios using e.g road lines or any kind of objects in the area. A private 5G-network (NorthStar) is accessible in the area, allowing for extremely fast data transfers and 5G network slicing. The facility is modelled in a digital twin for use in simulation and correlation tests.
The main crop is silage maize and mash (26 hectares), followed by over 11 hectares of Medicago sativa; 11 hectares of Italian ryegrass and 4 hectares of triticale for silage are also sown on the farm. In this company, research is conducted to develop methods that allow the reduction of pesticides, the decrease in the use of fertilisers and herbicides, and the conservation of water and energy.
Additionally, there is a small herd of 16 Piedmontese cattle raised for meat. In this farm, there are also two advanced systems of robotic milking integrated with the online milk analysis system that allows continuous monitoring of parameters to assess the health status of the animal.
A specialised and equipped laboratory for conducting resistance tests on agricultural vehicle protection structures to ensure their effectiveness and durability under various environmental and stressful conditions.
An inclined test bench platform designed to test and measure vehicle stability, allowing the evaluation of performance on various slopes and terrain conditions
An equipped laboratory for performing common measurements, including moisture, dry matter, and other essential analyses to assess soil quality and optimise agricultural practices.
An area of 23 hectares of arable land, with 2 hectares dedicated to agricultural experimentation, which can be further developed and optimised for new farming techniques or other purposes.
