**5.6 Agricultural robots**

Robotics is reshaped agricultural practices beyond recognition. Robotic applications in agriculture, forestry, and horticulture are continuing to evolve [113]. Refinement of crop production management resolutions to the individual plant level will require the deployment of autonomous and robotic technologies. Autonomous tractors, drones, crop harvesting robots, seeding machines, and robotic weeding are some of the emerging technologies that make the PA more meaningful. Autonomous platforms can be used from field preparation to harvesting of crops and provide more benefits than conventional machines [114]. These platforms reduce the overall environmental impact of crop production through the targeted application of pesticides and fertilizers, reduced energy requirements, and lower vehicle weights while reducing soil compaction [115, 116]. Recently, robotic weeding and scouting and applying crop production inputs *via* UAV/drone are garnering more confidence in their potential among producers, retailers, and dealers in the Midwest United States [117]. Crop growth monitoring using a robot is shown in **Figure 7**.
