International Field Robot Event to feature 16 international student teams at DLG Feldtage 2026_

Teams from China, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Turkey and the UK – Navigation skills, plant health and biodiversity in focus

The 23rd International Field Robot Event will take place at this year’s DLG Feldtage from 16 to 18 June 2026 at the DLG’s International Crop Production Center in Bernburg (Saxony-Anhalt), Germany. The annual competition, which this year features 16 teams from ten countries, brings together international student teams whose robots compete in demanding field tasks under real-life farming conditions, showcasing innovative solutions for future crop production.

The contest features practical challenges designed to test the robots’ capabilities, including navigation in curved maize rows, plant health detection and biodiversity monitoring. Held for the fifth time alongside the DLG Feldtage, the Field Robot Event is organised by the Hochschule Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, TU Braunschweig and Agrotech Valley Forum e. V. in cooperation with DLG and DLG Feldtage.

Each competing robot carries its own distinctive name, from “FloriBot” and “FarmBeast” to “Carbonite” and “Son of the Sun”, reflecting the teams’ creativity and strong personal commitment. This dedication is visible throughout the three-day event, both during the competitions in the field and behind the scenes, where the robots are continuously fine-tuned.

 A final freestyle challenge allows teams to showcase a particular aspect of their robot’s capabilities, the focus of which is sustainability.

The first two competition days each focuses on a specific tasks while the third and final dayis dedicated to a freestyle task. The task winners and runners-up are announced at the end of the day and the overall winner is crowned on the final day.

Participating Teams 

 Acorn, Osnabrück University, Germany

AIRLab, Politecnico di Milano, Italy

CAU, China Agricultural University, China

Carbonite, Schülerforschungszentrum Überlingen, Germany

FarmBeast, University of Maribor, Slovenia

FloriBot, Hochschule Heilbronn, Germany

FREDT, Technical University Braunschweig, Germany

HSM-Terra, Hochschule Schmalkalden, Germany

LCASTOR, University of Lincoln, UK

LEO Poland, Technical School of Mechanization of Agriculture and Agrotronics, Poland

Peik, NMBU Robotics, Norway

Robatic Bullseye, Wageningen University, Netherlands

RoboTO, Politecnico di Torino, Italy

SemTechno, INESC TEC by Tribe Lab, Portugal

Son of the Sun, University of Tekirdağ Namık Kemal, Turkey

TH[E] OWL, University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Höxter, Germany

Spectators are welcome at the Field Robot Event at all times, whether observing backstage the fine-tuning of the robots or watching the action live in the field. Visitors will be able to see how teams assemble and test their robots.

Across all teams, more than 60 sensors, including LiDAR systems, cameras and inertial sensors, are used to perceive the field environment. On average, the robots weigh around 35–40 kilograms and are capable of conducting precise maneuvers. Several teams already integrate AI-based image recognition to detect crops, diseases or pests.

Over the past 12 months, students have been developing a wide range of robotic systems, from lightweight, camera-based platforms to larger, high-performance machines equipped with advanced sensing and navigation technologies. While some teams rely on complex combinations of LiDAR, cameras and mapping approaches such as SLAM, others demonstrate how robust navigation can be achieved using streamlined, vision-based or low-cost solutions.

Different mechanical concepts further illustrate this diversity of approaches, including articulated and Ackermann steering, omnidirectional drives and high-speed navigation. In addition to navigation, many robots integrate functions such as crop monitoring, disease and pest detection, real-time data analysis and targeted field interventions such as spot spraying.

The competition provides an important platform for testing pioneering technologies in robotics and precision farming under real-world conditions. It also enables students to exchange ideas, build networks and further develop their concepts in an international environment.

Visitors are invited to follow the competition live in the field and engage directly with participants.

Alongside the International Field Robot Event, DLG’s FarmRobotix platform at DLG Feldtage highlights practical, field-ready robotic solutions. Live demonstrations include autonomous vehicles, AI-based weed control and precision farming systems, complemented by expert talks and guided tours.

DLG Feldtage, held under the guiding theme “Crop Production out of the Box”, brings together more than 320 exhibitors and is considered a leading outdoor trade fair for professional crop production. Visitors can experience live machinery demonstrations, crop trials, digital technologies and forward-looking farming solutions directly in the field.

The Field Robot Event, launched in 2003 by Wageningen University & Research, takes place annually at different locations in Europe, returning to the DLG Feldtage every second year. The 2026 Field Robot Event is organized by Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, Technical University Braunschweig and Agrotech Valley, in cooperation with DLG and supported by various partners.

Further information

www.fieldrobotevent.eu
www.dlg-feldtage.de

Media contact:

Malene Conlong
Tel: +49 6924788237
Email: M.conlong@dlg.org

About DLG

With more than 30,000 members, DLG is a politically independent and non-profit organisation. DLG draws on an international network of some 3,000 food and agricultural experts. DLG operates with subsidiaries in 10 countries and also organizes over 30 regional agricultural and livestock exhibitions worldwide. DLG’s leading international exhibitions, EuroTier for livestock farming and Agritechnica for agricultural machinery, which are held every two years in Hanover, Germany, provide international impetus for the local trade fairs. Headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany, DLG conducts practical trials and tests to keep its members informed of the latest developments. DLG’s sites include DLG's International Crop Production Centre, a 600-hectare test site in Bernburg-Strenzfeld, Germany and the DLG Test Centre, Europe's largest agricultural machinery test centre for Technology and Farm Inputs, located in Gross-Umstadt, Germany. DLG bridges the gap between theory and practice, as evidenced by more than 40 working groups of farmers, academics, agricultural equipment companies and organisations that continually compare advances in knowledge in specific areas such as irrigation and precision farming.

www.dlg.org