loader image

The Best Practice Portfolio

The Blueprint for Sustainable, AI-Driven Retrofitting
in Apple Orchards and Wheat Fields.

From Prototype to Standard

Welcome to the Smart Droplets Best Practice Portfolio. Over the past four years, our consortium has moved beyond theoretical research to validate a fully autonomous retrofitting solution in real-world environments.

This portfolio represents our legacy to the agricultural community. It collects our open-source code, field-validated operational protocols, safety recommendations, and scientific findings. Whether you are a developer looking to integrate our AI, a farmer considering retrofitting, or a policymaker shaping the future of AgTech, these resources provide the blueprint for the next generation of sustainable agriculture.

Pillar 1

The Developer Toolkit
(Technical Practices)

For System Integrators, AI Engineers, and OEMs.

We have released 9 public repositories containing the essential building blocks for the Smart Droplets ecosystem.

The Interoperability Layer
(Connecting Tractors to Cloud)

  • The Tool: The smartDropletsDataAdapters and contextBrokerExamples repositories.
  • What it does: Provides the Python-based adapters and Orion Context Broker templates needed to connect robotic hardware to the SD Data Management Platform.
  • Why it matters: It validates our “Standards-First” approach, ensuring any ROS2 machine can communicate with FIWARE data spaces without vendor lock-in.

The Digital Twin Framework

  • The Tool: The digitalTwinFramework repository.
  • What it does: A complete simulation environment for modeling orchard geometries and testing robotic behavior virtually.
  • Why it matters: Allows developers to validate navigation and spraying algorithms in a physics-based simulation before deploying expensive hardware to the field.

Pillar 2​

Field Validation
(Operational Practices)

For Agronomists, Farmers, and Cooperatives.

The technology has been tested in two contrasting environments: the dense canopy of Apple Orchards in Catalonia (Spain) and the open-field reality of Wheat Farming in Lithuania. These resources prove the system’s versatility across different cropping systems.

The Retrofit Performance Report (D5.2)

  • Context: Data from our dual-pilot campaign.
  • Key Findings:
    • Orchards (Spain): Validated obstacle avoidance in heavy canopies and precision spraying for fungal diseases.
    • Arable (Lithuania): Validated Direct Injection efficacy for real-time herbicide mixing and Nitrogen fertilization in wheat.

Tech Briefs for Integrators & Farmers

Concise, practical guides designed for the end-user. These one-pagers strip away the jargon and explain exactly how to install, calibrate, and maintain the hardware.

  • Topics: Installing the Retrofit Kit, Calibrating LiDAR Sensors, Daily Maintenance Checklists.

Direct Injection & Spraying Protocols

Best practices for managing the Direct Injection System. Learn how to configure tank pressures and manage real-time mixing to ensure precise “spot spraying” without clogging or contamination.

Pillar 3

Policy & Safety
(Regulatory Practices)

For Regulators, Safety Inspectors, and Standardization Bodies.

Retrofitting legacy machinery presents unique safety challenges not fully covered by current regulations. We are actively contributing to the evolution of EU safety standards.

Safety Standards Policy Brief (ISO 18497)

An analysis of the gaps in ISO 18497 (Safety of Autonomous Machinery) regarding the retrofitting of older tractors. This brief outlines our recommendations for certifying “Non-Invasive” actuation systems and defining Safe States for mechanical diesel engines.

Pillar 4

The Knowledge Hub
(Science & Education)

For Researchers, Students, and the General Public.

Ensuring the longevity of our results through education and scientific rigor.

The Smart Droplets Podcast

Go behind the scenes with the engineers, agronomists, and data scientists who built the system. Listen to candid discussions about the challenges of GPS-denied navigation and the future of AI in farming.

Scientific Publications

The peer-reviewed science that validates our approach. Access our library of Open Access papers published by Wageningen University (WU) and the Agricultural University of Athens (AUA).

  • Topics: Deep Learning for Canopy Characterization, SLAM Algorithms in Orchards, Digital Twin Architectures.

The Smart Droplets Academy

The technology is only as good as the operator. Access our full suite of open training modules designed to upskill the agricultural workforce in handling autonomous systems.