Design, Development, and Performance Evaluation of a Mechatronic V-Shaped Climbing Robot for Date Palm Trees

The mechanization of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) cultivation is essential for improving worker safety and reducing the labor-intensive nature of tree maintenance and harvesting. In this study, a new climbing mechanism with a V-shaped folding chassis and concave rubber-coated wheels was designed, constructed, and evaluated. The motors were operated via independent switches, with future versions planned to feature integrated electronic control for fully autonomous functionality. The prototype was tested under three spring contact forces (425, 584, and 743 N), two wheel diameters (0.16 and 19 m), and three vertical load conditions (0, 120, and 220 N). Performance indices including climbing speed, slippage, and energy efficiency were measured and statistically analyzed using a full factorial design. The results showed that increasing the spring contact force from 425 to 743 N reduced slippage by 12.4% and increased climbing speed by 18.7%. Maximum climbing speed reached to 0.131 m/s. The highest tractive efficiency (78.1%) was achieved at a spring force of 584 N and a wheel diameter of 0.19 m. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed significant effects (p < 0.05) of wheel diameter and spring force on both slippage and speed, while load had a minor influence. The proposed design exhibited stable trunk adhesion, smooth climbing motion, and low power consumption, indicating its potential for safe and efficient mechanized operations in date palm cultivation. Future work will focus on field-scale validation across multiple trees and optimization of motor power and control systems.