Hannes Polonji (Bad Segeberg, Year 12), Ao Sheng (Norderstedt, Year 10),  Niki Maximilian Biering (Halstenbeck, Year 10) and Jason Tyler Herbst (Coach) presented a fully automated system for carrying out soil analyses during tillage in the field. The machine attached to the implement takes soil samples while driving, fills them into the analyser, determines several soil parameters with measuring electrodes and drops them again.

The soil is analysed for its physical composition using an AI-based camera system in order to provide corrections to the measured values. The results are then geocoded and entered into a map, which is used in the next step to control the amount of fertiliser.

A total of three juries interviewed and assessed the ‘Ernteelite’ team. The focus was not only on technical aspects, but also on physiological, ecological and economic aspects. The tension was relieved when the team was called to the stage and given their tickets to Singapore. The best ideas from around the world will come together at the end of November.

Thilo Steckel (CLAAS - SF Technology Management and member of the Project Committee of the CLAAS Foundation) supported the team during the preparations and the national competition. "The national competition in the Westfalenhallen Dortmund was a real goosebump moment. This applies to the performance of the ‘Ernteelite’ team, but also to the performance of the many hundreds of students who competed in numerous categories. This puts into perspective the concern about future shortages of motivated and qualified people," he said.

The event featured teams from renowned institutions from 10 nations. The competition consisted of five challenging tasks designed to test the capabilities of autonomous robots in a variety of agricultural scenarios. The tasks included Autonomous Maize Field Navigation, Strawberry Bush Detection, Fruit Counting, Bioluminescent Fungi Discovery, and a creative Freestyle category.

“This year’s Field Robot Event has been particularly extraordinary as it marks our first edition in Italy, ever”, said Sylvia Looks, Executive Board of the CLAAS Foundation. “The organisation of the event, the vibrant atmosphere among participants, and the heightened motivation have all contributed to an unforgettable experience."

For the organization of the event, the Politecnico di Milano was also supported by colleagues of CLAAS Italia who functioned as emcee as well as jury member for the various tasks. The event not only provided opportunities for students to showcase their technical skills but also fostered networking and collaboration among future leaders in agricultural technology.

The whole organizational team extend their congratulations to all participants and winners, as well as heartfelt thanks to all teams for their innovative designs and hard work. This event has further underscored the critical role of robotics in advancing sustainable agricultural practices.

Overall Final Ranking:

Acorn – Hochschule and University Osnabrück, Germany

CULS Robotics – Czech University of Life Sciences, Czech Republic

FREDT – Technische Universität Braunschweig, Germany (ex aequo)

FarmBeast – University of Maribor, Slovenia (ex aequo)

Grasslammer – Politecnico di Milano, Italy

Robatic – Wageningen University, Netherlands

About the Field Robot Event

Each year, the Field Robot Event (FRE) brings together student teams and robotics enthusiasts from across Europe to tackle real-world challenges in autonomous agriculture.

The FRE is an international competition where university teams design and build autonomous field robots capable of performing agricultural tasks without human intervention. These robots must navigate a series of technical challenges that simulate real field conditions – ranging from precise row navigation and plant recognition to weed detection and obstacle avoidance. Each robot is judged not only on its technical performance but also on its ability to operate safely and reliably in dynamic outdoor environments.

The primary objective of the FRE is to promote innovation in agricultural robotics and provide students with practical experience in applying robotics, artificial intelligence, and engineering to sustainable farming. Through this competition, students are encouraged to explore solutions that address the growing need for automation and precision in agriculture.

Since its inception in 2003 by Wageningen University, the Field Robot Event has grown into a respected platform for young talent and a showcase for cutting-edge ideas in autonomous farming. For many participants, it is a launching point for future careers in agri-tech and robotics.

More information about the event, including how to attend or participate, can be found on the official website: Field Robot Event – 9-12 June 2025, Milano, Italy

The workshop, which is being implemented together with the CLAAS Foundation and was designed by two teachers from the Evangelisch Stiftisches Gymnasium Gütersloh, Lina Nordemann and Anna-Sophie Johannesmeier, offered pupils the opportunity to learn in a practical way and discover important connections in the field of renewable energies.

Dr. Eberhard Nacke, an expert in the field of biological energy production, welcomed the inquisitive pupils. He vividly explained the function of a biogas plant and how it helps to convert organic waste into sustainable energy. The pupils' enthusiasm was clearly palpable when they learned that a special process converts biomass into biogas, which can then be used to produce electricity and heat.

As part of the excursion, the pupils had the opportunity to become active themselves. They experimented with various organic materials to find out which were suitable as feed for the biogas plant. Not only did they learn about the different properties of the materials in a playful way, they also learned about the importance of research into sustainable energy sources.

The trip to the Harsewinkel sawmill was a successful and educational experience for the pupils, which sparked their interest in renewable energies and focused on important environmental issues. The pupils returned to Gütersloh in the late afternoon with new insights and a host of exciting impressions.

Six schools from the districts of Warendorf and Gütersloh participated. The teams of pupils competed against each other with high motivation and had to first “get around the curve” in order to be able to “count peas” later on. After refreshments and the opportunity to look around the CLAAS site as part of the CLAAS Newcomers' Day taking place at the same time, another exciting challenge awaited them: “Watch out for the obstacle!”

All tasks could only be solved by precisely programming the robots. This was the only way the small machines were able to drive on a black line, recognize obstacles and stop at the right places. Many of the participants also learned that there are different (programming) approaches to reach the goal. The “RatsTeam” from Ratsgymnasium in Wiedenbrück was able to impress in all disciplines and won first prize. Second prize went to the ErNi team from Ennigerloh-Neubeckum comprehensive school and third prize went to the TechTitans from Steinhagen secondary school.

Over the past six years, the CLAAS Foundation has equipped a total of 12 schools in the districts of Warendorf and Gütersloh with mBot2 kits. The mBot2 plays a central role in project-oriented learning, which many schools are increasingly promoting.

This year's competition was organized by Malte Schön's team from the Technical Education Centre in Harsewinkel. The team was supported on site by Dr. Sergej Stoetzer from Makeblock Education, who was able to provide excellent advice to all participants with his extensive knowledge.

On 10 May 2025, theory will finally become practice: pupils will compete against each other in the mBot competition organised by the CLAAS Technical Education Centre (TBZ). They can also attend the Newcomers Day at the TBZ. This gives the participants an ideal insight into the training professions at CLAAS and allows them to make initial contacts and gather information on site.

Through this initiative, the Claas-Stiftung is reaffirming its goal of promoting education and enthusiasm for technical professions and preparing pupils for the challenges of the digital future.

Around 15 dedicated teachers took part in the training, which was led by Dr Sergej Stoetzer from MakeBlock. Malte Schön, trainer for mechatronics at CLAAS, presented the tasks of the planned competition. The participants embedded the small but powerful robotic vehicles and began with the initial programming. This enabled the mBots to navigate precisely along a black line, recognise obstacles and stop in the right places.

This training course serves as an introduction to mBots in the classroom and is intended to be used in technology and computer science lessons as well as in afternoon courses. The mBot is an example of project-orientated learning, which is becoming increasingly important in schools.

On 10 May 2025, theory will finally become practice: pupils will compete against each other in the mBot competition organised by the CLAAS Technical Education Centre (TBZ). They can also attend the Newcomers Day at the TBZ. This gives the participants an ideal insight into the training professions at CLAAS and allows them to make initial contacts and gather information on site.

Through this initiative, the Claas-Stiftung is reaffirming its goal of promoting education and enthusiasm for technical professions and preparing pupils for the challenges of the digital future.

The 34-year-old was welcomed by the Presidential Board of Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences and the supporting foundations of the Aloys & Brigitte Coppenrath Stiftung, the Claas-Stiftung, the Dieter Fuchs Stiftung, the Friedel & Gisela Bohnenkamp Stiftung and the Stiftung Stahlwerk Georgsmarienhütte. All foundations provide 25,000 euros per year for five years, totalling 625,000 euros in funding. The university will then take over the funding.

"With this endowed professorship, we will be able to successfully develop the research focus on sustainability technologies and processes that we have built up over the past few years. Christian Meltebrink will drive forward the automation of agricultural systems and support a key industry in this region through dialogue with companies from the agricultural engineering sector and the targeted promotion of young talent. This is made possible by the generous commitment of the foundations," emphasised University President Prof. Dr Alexander Schmehmann.

Expert for sensor technology in agriculture

Meltebrink's expertise is sensor technology. Sensors act as the eyes and ears of modern agricultural technology and provide real-time data on environmental conditions, soil health, plant growth and machine performance. A sensor detects physical or chemical changes in the environment and converts them into an electrics signal. This signal is used to gather information or to determine, for example, whether a robot should irrigate a crop or manoeuvre around an obstacle.

After completing a dual Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering - Automation in Baden-Württemberg, Meltebrink went on to study for a Master's degree in Computer Science - Distributed and Mobile Applications at Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences. In 2015, he received the Amazone Innovation Award and an award for the best Master's degree for his Master's thesis.

Establishment of a junior engineering group

He then started his career as Safety Manager at agricultural machinery manufacturer Strautmann & Söhne in Bad Laer, where Meltebrink developed a patented safety concept for autonomous agricultural machinery. It was there that he recognised the problem of the safe perception of people by self-driving agricultural machinery in the field and on the farm. Meltebrink completed his doctorate on this topic with summa cum laude honours at the Technical University of Berlin and developed a new testing methodology for sensors from different manufacturers as part of the "Agro-Safety" research project. During this time, Meltebrink also set up a junior engineering research group. Over the past two years, he has been responsible for portfolio and innovation management for sensor solutions for mobile machinery at sensor manufacturer SICK.

Practical research and teaching

"I want to offer application-oriented teaching with the associated practical training, taking into account state-of-the-art approaches and industry-standardised processes. In practical research, I will focus on agricultural processes and work closely with farmers and industry partners to develop new, intelligent sensor system solutions that improve day-to-day work," says Meltebrink. "The university's infrastructure, including the Agro-Technicum, offers me ideal working conditions."

Promoting innovative and sustainable agriculture in Osnabrück

"As the funding foundations, we are delighted to welcome Prof Dr Meltebrink as the new holder of the Chair of Autonomous and Collaborative Agricultural Systems. His expertise will breathe new life into the vision of innovative and sustainable agriculture in Osnabrück," says Sylvia Looks, board member of the Claas-Stiftung.

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Sylvia Looks, Executive Board member of the Claas-Stiftung, expressed her enthusiasm for the new cooperation: "We are thrilled to support this partnership between Wageningen University and Göttingen University. Both institutions are renowned for their contributions to agricultural sciences, and we believe that this collaboration will yield significant advancements in research and education, ultimately benefiting the global agricultural community." 

This collaboration marks a significant milestone in the Claas-Stiftung 's ongoing commitment to supporting academic development and advancing agricultural technologies. By bringing together two of Europe’s leading agricultural universities, the twinning cooperation seeks to enhance cross-border academic exchange and provide students and researchers with unique opportunities for collaboration and growth. 

Key Objectives of the Twinning Cooperation: 

1. Promoting Joint Research Initiatives: The partnership will facilitate joint research projects, harnessing the strengths and expertise of both institutions to address global challenges in agriculture and sustainability. 

2. Enhancing Educational Opportunities: Students and faculty will benefit from exchange programs, joint seminars, and workshops, enriching their academic experiences and broadening their perspectives. 

3. Fostering Innovation and Technology Transfer: By combining resources and expertise, the cooperation aims to accelerate the development and implementation of cutting-edge agricultural technologies. 

4. Strengthening International Networks: This initiative will not only strengthen ties between the partner universities but also expand their networks globally, creating new avenues for collaboration with other institutions and industry leaders. 

Professor Peter Groot Koerkamp, representative from Wageningen University, says: "This twinning cooperation provides a fantastic opportunity for our students and researchers to engage with their peers in Göttingen. By working together, we can tackle some of the most pressing challenges in agriculture today." 

Professor Frank Beneke from Göttingen University shared similar sentiments: "We are excited to embark on this journey with Wageningen University. The exchange of knowledge and expertise will undoubtedly lead to innovative solutions and new insights in our field." 

This new partnership aligns with the Claas-Stiftung ’s mission to support educational and research initiatives that drive agricultural innovation and sustainability. The foundation continues to play a pivotal role in connecting academic institutions and promoting excellence within the agricultural sector.