IAgrE President Kit Franklin invites you to Harper Adams University—home of the world’s first Hands Free Farming project—for the 2026 Landwards Conference: Automation in Agriculture – from Innovation to Impact.
Agricultural automation is reshaping how food is produced, managed and delivered. This conference brings together the people leading that change: engineers developing next-generation technologies, businesses turning ideas into practical solutions, and farmers driving adoption on the ground.
Through perspectives from across the development chain, the programme will examine how far automation has progressed, the challenges still to overcome, and the real-world impact already being achieved.
Looking ahead, speakers will explore the next decade of agriculture—highlighting emerging technologies, evolving farm practices, and the critical role automation will play in delivering a more productive, efficient, and sustainable future.
Nestor Deniz - Principal Doctoral Research Assistant
Nestor Deniz gained his PhD in Simultaneous Control and State Estimation for Nonlinear Systems Subject to Bounded Disturbances Using Moving Horizon Techniques from the Universidad Nacional del Litoral. He is currently working at Harper Adams University, specialising in humanoid robots for agricultural applications, autonomous navigation systems, and reinforcement learning.
Dr Deniz will be delivering a technical talk on his latest research into implementing dexterous manoeuvres in humanoid robots for apple harvesting.
Dan Whitear - Lead Mechanical Engineeer at Warwick Agritech
Dan is Lead Mechanical Engineer at Warwick Agritech, part of WMG at the University of Warwick, where he develops robotic systems for agriculture, forestry and horticulture. His work focuses on creating autonomous technologies that help address labour shortages and improve operational efficiency.
At the IAgrE Conference, Dan will discuss the development of robotic tree seedling sorting systems designed to automate the assessment and grading of young trees in forestry nurseries. He will explore how robotics can improve productivity, consistency and scalability in nursery operations.
James Miller - CEO Earth Rover
We are Looking forward to hearing James Miller, CEO of Earth Rover, share a strategic, commercially focused case study on how robotics and AI are reshaping the economics of farming.
James is a Chartered Engineer with more than 25 years of experience across the automotive, agriculture, rail and defence sectors. He is the founder of Spiro Engineering Consultants and works with Earth Rover, a company developing autonomous technologies for sustainable food production.
James will present Earth Rover's CLAWS™ robotic platform, which uses artificial intelligence, machine vision and real-time crop data to support autonomous field operations. Powered by batteries and solar energy, the technology offers a low-carbon approach to weed control and crop management, helping growers reduce inputs while supporting their net-zero ambitions
From powertrain engineering to business process transformation, James has led projects across multiple industries — giving him a uniquely strategic lens on how robotics and AI can reshape agriculture.
Rhian Griffith - Consultant, Flynt Technology
Rhian Griffith has been working in the agricultural industry since 2021, with roles focused primarily on mechanical design and product safety compliance. Earlier in her career, she gained experience in safety, reliability, and quality assurance through airworthiness projects in the aerospace industry.
Now at Flynt Technology, much of her work has looked at autonomous machinery, where she applies her knowledge to help ensure innovative products meet safety and compliance requirements. She enjoys understanding complex engineering challenges and finding practical solutions that enable products to perform safely and reliably in the real world.
Rhian’s talk will explore how automation safety can be integrated into commercial manufacturing — turning cutting-edge technology into practical, safe, scalable solutions.
Chris Brettell - F S Bretell & Sons & AgriDroid
Chris and his brother Ed farm 485 hectares in north Shropshire and adopted the use of the FarmDroid in 2021. Alongside his brother Ed, Chris has been helping farmers adopt robotic technologies that improve productivity and sustainability.
As a farmer himself, Chris uses the FarmDroid FD20 on his family’s 1,200-acre farm, growing crops including organic fodder beet and sugar beet. His presentation will share practical insights into how autonomous, solar-powered robots are being used for precision sowing and mechanical weeding, reducing labour requirements and supporting more sustainable crop production.
William Mumford - CEO, AS Communications (UK) Ltd & AgXeed Distributor
William Mumford is a fifth-generation farmer from Cambridgeshire and founder of AS Communications (UK) Ltd, a company that has been providing agricultural technology solutions since 1989. With more than three decades of experience in precision farming, GPS guidance and farm technology, William is widely recognised for helping farmers adopt innovative solutions that improve productivity, efficiency and sustainability.
As both a farmer and technology supplier, William brings a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing modern agriculture. Through ASC Automation, he is at the forefront of introducing autonomous machinery to the UK market, including the AgXeed range of driverless tractors.
At the IAgrE Conference, William will discuss the practical role of autonomous tractors in farming today, exploring how AI-driven machinery can support sustainable production, reduce labour pressures and improve operational efficiency while working with existing farm equipment and systems.