Introducing Agricultural Robotics and Unmanned Aerial Systems on Small, Fragmented Farms: First-Season (2026) Field Report from the Robot4Plants (IRP38) Consortium, Slovenia

The Robot4Plants consortium (intervention IRP38, Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plan of Slovenia) introduced agricultural robots and unmanned aerial systems (UASs) on partner farms and at public events in 2026. This Project Report documents that commissioning and demonstration phase at six purposively selected locations. Evidence comprises operator and advisor records, farm management records, an application record, robot telemetry, and photographs. An AgXeed AgBot autonomous tractor with a six-row seed drill sowed a 2.68 ha maize field at a mean moving speed of 4.30 km h−1 and a mean engine-reported fuel rate of 8.27 L h−1; the field yielded approximately 11.8 t ha−1 in a hot, dry season. A UAS applied Bacillus thuringiensis against European corn borer under a research permit at 59.5 L ha−1. An autonomous air-assisted sprayer followed recorded routes in vineyard and apple rows, with water-sensitive paper used as a qualitative setup check. Limitations were unwanted stops near vegetation, two spray-hose failures, and two mower collisions in a hazelnut orchard. No replicated, efficacy, or economic assessment was made. The records form a descriptive baseline for replicated experiments starting in the 2026/2027 season.