SwarmFarm Robotics, a Central Highlands business, received the Northern Australia Development Program

A world leading company, Swarmfarm Robotics, received a grant of $856,000 from the Northern Australia Development Program.

A world leading company, Swarmfarm Robotics, based in Central Queensland has received a grant of $856,000 from the Northern Australia Development Program.

SwarmFarm Robotics co-founder Andrew Bate said he was looking forward to what this support meant for the company and the agriculture industry in the country.

SwarmFarm Robotics begun in 2012 and is located at Gindie, north of Emerald.

The company manufactures small, autonomous robotic farming equipment that works in a swarm of others, do less damage to soil and can be used sooner after rain due to weighing less than traditional farming equipment.

The majority of SwarmFarm machinery were designed with technology that reduced the amount of chemicals used such as herbicides and pesticides.

SwarmFarm Robotics was one of the first business globally to make autonomous machines in farming.

Mr Bate said the company was a “world leader” in its field.

Everything has been made locally.

Mr Bates firmly believed robotics to be the future of agriculture.

“Robotics is the next wave, I think,” he said.

“It’s really changing the way we produce crops in agriculture.

“It’s enabling farming methods we’ve dreamt about but haven’t practically been able to do.”

Agriculture and Northern Australia minister David Littleproud said the Northern Australia Development Program provided an opportunity for local businesses to transform not only their own business, but also their communities by creating new jobs and opportunities to attract people to the north.

Flynn MP Ken O’Dowd said this money would make careers regionally and facilitate transformation the agriculture sector in Northern Australia.

Federal LNP candidate for Flynn Col Boyce said this finance would provide assistance to ease the burden on farmers in Northern Australia and help them to operate agriculture procedures in the difficult wet season.

Central Highlands Development Corporations’ Business and Investment Attraction manager Peter Dowling said: “It’s pleasing to see regional companies like SwarmFarm Robotics disrupting the status quo in agriculture with their homegrown field robots.

“Investment in a purpose-built facility advances our capacity and capability in region. It contributes to the sovereignty of our supply chain.”