ADVICE & OPINION
TOMORROW’S WORLD
FMJ AIMS TO SUPPORT TECHNICAL EXPERTISE IN THE FM MARKET
As technology advances, will we see mother nature’s green spaces and
beloved landscapes controlled by the click of an App? Angus Lindsay from
idverde, looks at what is possible now, what is feasible, where the future is
really heading and what is merely science fi ction
You don’t jump to the moon in a
single leap. From when the space
race started to when we landed on
our lunar partner, millions of tiny
iterative steps were taken. The same
is true, obviously on a far smaller
scale, when we consider the future
of grounds maintenance. From
where we are now to a brave new
world of drones and automation
requires small steps, progression,
failing, learning and a healthy dose
of realism.
From drones to robotic mowers,
VR to AI watering sensors, the image
of traditional horticultural - one of
pruning, preening, cutting all steered
by a human hand - could be about to
change. But what is that brave new
world? What does it look like?
TECHNOLOGY FOR THE NOW AND
FOR THE FUTURE
For me, it is one that we, as caretakers
for the planet, are responsible and
proactive in our attention to our
legacy. It is a future of carbon-neutral
technologically enabled automation. It
is of artificially intelligent ‘ecosystems’
working hand-in-hand with humans
16 SEPTEMBER 2020
to detect and then act upon changes
in the environment. It is one where we
have ground maintenance based on
need rather than frequency and rotas.
The technology to take this leap
forward is, in many cases, already
here, it is just not widely adopted.
GPS mapping, drone site inspections,
robotic tractors, laser cutting,
alternative weed control and AI that
o ers preventative actions based on
footfall and actual requirements – can
all be utilised (at a cost, of course).
At idverde, we have been using, with
great success, robotic mowers in closed
London parks for some time. Quietly,
e iciently getting about their work as
residents sleep.
How quickly will these technologies
become commonplace? It is worth
reminding ourselves that change
normally comes in small doses (did
you know that the first driverless
tractor was developed in the 1960s and
the first radio-controlled mower was
built in 1959?). Take your day-to-day
power tools. From twenty years ago to
today, we have overcome our cordless
technology scepticism to almost
complete adoption. That change did
not come with a fanfare, it happened
slowly and naturally.
I suspect we will see similar
changes with the use of drones.
Drones are far from gimmicky and are
here to stay. Will we ever see them
armed with blades descending on a
park to cut and prune? Not for a while
(imagine the insurance for that!), but
what we can (and what we are doing)
is using them to give an overview
of our parks – giving judgement on
what routes to take, where to cut,
essentially giving us an eye in the sky
that would have been impossible ten
years ago.
I see similar changes in how we
adapt our vehicles to the necessary
emission changes and low emission
zones. As a land-based industry, so
much of our impact on local and
global environments is entwined
with the power of our equipment.
Manufacturers are making great
progress here - Stihl, Husqvarna,
Pellenc, and Bosch are all bringing
new zero-emission power technology
to life. Change and adoption, though,
is also o en slow. Currently, the cost
of a tradition diesel sit-on mower
is around £16-18k, while an electric
version can be as much as £60k.
Economics o en dictates that the
pace of change may be slower than
we desire.
THE HUMAN TOUCH
The advantages of adopting new
technologies are clear to me. Climate
impacts will be reduced, e iciency
improved as we focus our resources
on areas that most need it (reducing
unnecessary recutting of grass, to
over-seeding, to fertiliser spray),
meaning better outcomes with less
time and money invested. With the
right technology and tools, two men
could easily do the work of six.
However, with so much power at
our fingertips, we must not sacrifice
individual passion and expertise –
it is all too easy to become a jack
of all trades and master of none.
Technological developments and
manufacturing innovation are still
a poor substitute for interpersonal
cooperation and really cannot replace
informed local knowledge – or what
you could describe as the human
touch.
Expertise borne from passion is
something that no machine can
replicate. The small touches that
make all the di erence cannot
be programmed without a true
understanding of aesthetics and
human desire. These are things we
must protect as we integrate new
technologies.
Our industry is heavily reliant on
people and practical skills, but we
are susceptible to a slowly eroding
skill base in a sector which may not
be people’s career choices. Evolving
technology certainly creates di erent
priorities for employers, with di erent
skill sets required, new training regimes
are needed but it also potentially
o ers more exciting opportunities for
younger minds.
These considerations might seem
mundane when considering the
alluring power of change but if you fail
to make things easy for people you
will fail. Blue sky thinking with great
products but without the necessary
support around them, will also quickly
fail. A solar-powered hovering laser
cutting mower is great, but in practical
terms, this innovation needs a readily
available supply of parts and the
knowledge to repair breakdowns (a
puncture repair kit alone won’t do).
I am excited by the possibilities
of technology, and when managed
correctly, we can create a ground
maintenance regime based on need
rather than frequency. We can use
technology to evolve green amenities
into ecosystems central to our urban
environments. As technology continues
to advance there will become more
possibilities for innovation and
e iciency. We shouldn’t be afraid of
change; but we should learn from the
past, both good and bad, and not reach
a point where we are totally reliant or
dependent on technology – we will
always need the expert human touch.
The fact remains there is no substitute
for interpersonal cooperation and
experience.
FAST FACTS