Freeport East grant supports Essex trial of low-cost farm robots

Field trials involving low-cost robotic rovers designed by University of Essex academics will be trialled on farms in East Anglia this summer as part of Freeport East’s Innovation and Skills programme.

The project, run by Essex spin-out, Versatile RobotX, is supporting smart farming by developing affordable, autonomous robotic rovers.

The rovers will be capable of tasks like crop scouting, environmental monitoring, disease detection, and yield forecasting. Initial work has focused on the sensor platform, with field trials involving local growers planned in the coming months.

"This project enables us to bring urgently required cutting-edge robotics technology to sustainable agriculture, enabling both efficiency and environmental stewardship on our farms," said Professor Klaus McDonald-Maier, Versatile RobotX CEO and Head of the Robotics and Embedded Systems Research group in the School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering at the University of Essex.

It comes as businesses report strong progress in workplace development, green innovation and sustainable growth following significant investment by Freeport East.

Since the funding was allocated, fifteen businesses across East Anglia, including those in clean energy, infrastructure, agriculture and MedTech, have drawn down around £135,000 worth of the grant funds, helping to support employment, education and green technology in the area.

The Freeport East Clean Growth Fund offers financial assistance to local businesses operating within clean energy and Freeport East’s other target sectors, such as green hydrogen, agritech, engineering and digital.

Meanwhile, the Freeport East Innovation and Skills Fund focuses on building access to innovation and skills opportunities, particularly in underserved communities and in sectors relevant to the Freeport East area, such as clean energy, logistics and trade.

The University of Essex also hosted a large-scale renewable energy workshop on its Colchester Campus for 638 students from 12 primary schools as part of the Clean Growth programme.

The event, run by STEMPOINT, introduced clean energy concepts and careers to young people in an engaging, hands-on format, helping to plant the seed of future STEM ambitions.

Steve Beel, Chief Executive of Freeport East, said: “We’re pleased to see the real-world impact of these targeted investments – not just for the businesses receiving support, but for the communities around them.

“The Clean Growth and Skills & Innovation Funds are helping local firms take bold steps forward in sustainability, technology, and workforce development.

“These will help create long-term opportunities for local people, boosting inclusive growth, and laying the foundations for a greener, more resilient economy across East Anglia.

“We’re looking forward to monitoring the continued opportunities and growth that these businesses will bring to the area.”