RBR-1: DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF A MULTI-PURPOSE AUTONOMOUS ROVER WITH MODULAR ARM, SLAM-BASED NAVIGATION, AND INTEGRATED SENSOR SYSTEMS FOR SMART AGRICULTURE

This paper presents the design and development of RBR-1, a multi-purpose autonomous rover intended for precision agriculture. The system integrates rocker-bogie suspension, LiDAR-based SLAM, RTK-GPS, a robotic arm, and modular sensor packages into a cost-effective platform. Field trials across both controlled and agricultural environments validated the rovers capabilities in navigation, payload handling, and runtime. Results demonstrate a maximum payload capacity of 20 kg, robotic arm load capacity of 2.5 kg, and operational runtime of 5.2 hours on a 24 V 40 Ah lithium battery. Compared to existing agricultural rovers, RBR-1 provides higher payload capacity, longer runtime, and modular task adaptability at a significantly reduced cost (~USD 2,200). Its scalability and affordability position it as a promising tool for small- and medium-scale farmers while also extending applicability to industrial and disaster-response domains.