1. General information on agricultural robotics

1.1 Robots on farms

Although autonomous navigation in road environments requires the understanding of scenes (signs, traffic rules and interpretation of the environment), it benefits from a certain number of simplifying assumptions (non-slip road surfaces, flat ground, known and easily recognizable geographical references, etc.). Operating in a structured environment thus provides not only location references, but also a good understanding of the conditions of interaction between the robot and its environment. As a result, the control strategies used can benefit from prior knowledge, enabling the design of stable control laws based on reliable models. These simplifying assumptions, combined with the economic stakes involved, make the commercialization of autonomous cars imminent...