Project description
Christmas tree production faces several growing challenges: high labour costs, an increasing shortage of skilled workers and rising maintenance costs are making it difficult to operate many crops economically. At the same time, society is demanding more environmentally friendly agriculture that uses fewer chemicals and conserves resources. Especially in times of climate change, it is becoming increasingly important to keep plant stocks resilient and to organise maintenance work efficiently.
A key problem is labour-intensive weed control. Until now, this has mostly been done manually or using technology-intensive methods that cost a lot of time, money and energy. Monitoring plant health – such as vitality or terminal shoot development – also requires frequent inspections. For many farms, it is becoming increasingly difficult to manage these tasks economically and sustainably.
The project is developing a modular, AI-supported drone system that will largely automate the maintenance of Christmas tree crops. Using intelligent sensors, the drones record the condition of the plants, detect weeds or damage at an early stage and provide precise data for decision-making. This is supplemented by a special unit for weed control that works precisely and without chemicals – a major improvement over many conventional methods.
In combination with a GPS-controlled mowing robot, this creates a digitally networked maintenance system that is efficient, cost-effective and environmentally friendly. The technologies are being tested and further developed in field trials until a functional prototype is created, which will then be converted into a marketable series product.
The results will primarily benefit Christmas tree producers in Schleswig-Holstein and northern Germany, but also advisory centres, technology manufacturers and educational institutions. In the long term, the methods can even be transferred to other special crops. Automated management strengthens the climate resilience of farms, reduces nitrogen input and enables more sustainable, regional production – an important basis for competing with large producers from the Sauerland region or Denmark.
The project shows how digital technologies can make agriculture more ecological, efficient and competitive. Investments in such innovations create long-term benefits for farms, the environment and regions – while also securing the future of the traditional German Christmas tree.