The marijuana industry may be growing a 1,000-year-old plant, but the companies are employing the latest in technology. Here come the robots and drones.
A grow facility in Desert Springs, Calif., owned by Canndescent is currently testing using a robot to patrol its outdoor crop. Todd Kleperis, Chief Executive Officer of Hardcar Security, which provides security services to the marijuana industry, said that using a robot in the evening to patrol a company’s inventory of marijuana plants saves money and is more effective. “At night guards sleep, they play video games and spend time on social media. It’s fraught with human error,” he said.
Kleperis also pointed out that it’s safer for human security guards to use robots. “If you’ve ever been shot at, it’s very scary,” he said. “These robots can take a gunshot better than a human.” They don’t shoot back at intruders, though Kleperis said that they are considering adding a pepper spray function. The mission of the robot is to detect whether anything is wrong, and alert human monitors.
Canndescent received approval from the town to test out the robots. Sharp Intellos makes the actual automated Unmanned Ground Vehicle or UGV that will secure the perimeter of the property. The company produces premium marijuana flower and is keen on protecting its investment.
Cannabis delivery company Eaze recently demonstrated the use of a drone for cannabis delivery at the Cannabis Cup in San Bernadino, Calif. Eaze doesn’t actually own any drones nor do any dispensaries employ their use at this time, but Eaze expects at some point they will be used. Sheena Shiravi, a spokesperson for Eaze said, “We see it in the future. It’s on the horizon.”
Sharp Intellos
A robot like this is being used to patrol a marijuana field in California. (Courtesy photo)
Article Originally Posted on Forbes. Article by Debra Borchardt – Original Article
