Meraque Group has launched the first self-driving agricultural vehicle Robotic Agro in Complex Environment (RACE) which is the first of its kind in Malaysia last week. Robots with these tracks can perform farm tasks automatically without human intervention.
It can perform field spraying tasks with a distance of up to 12 meters, a liquid tank of 500 liters and climb a slope surface of up to 30 degrees. According to Meraque, other features on RACE are mobility control with artificial intelligence (AI), long-distance real-time data transmission, (LoRa), light detection and systems (LiDAR).
They have also obtained patents and branding incorporating LoRA Real-Time Kinematic' RTK technology, swarm technology and smart spray in the RACE system. RACE was created to reduce the dependence on labor and increase the consistency of fertilizer spraying in various crop areas and agricultural fields, not just for use in oil palm plantations.
By 2025, Meraque aims to be among the 10 largest agricultural robotics automation companies worldwide. Last year the RACE prototype was shown at the Malaysian International Agricommodity Expo & Summit (MIACES). Meraque is also involved in the production of drone kits to unearth the talent of local drone operators.