Method and apparatus for performing pruning operations using an autonomous vehicle

A method implemented by a controller of an autonomous vehicle having a wheeled chassis to perform pruning operations on plants being cultivated in containers, the method comprising:

• (a) causing the autonomous vehicle to autonomously navigate to a location of a plurality of plant containers within a workspace;
• (b) locating a first container of the plurality of plant containers at a pickup location and causing a manipulator mounted to the vehicle to grasp and load the container onto a plant support, the plant support being operable to receive and secure the container in an upright condition for rotation about a vertical axis extending generally vertically through the container and the plant;
• (c) causing a pruning tool mounted to the vehicle to prune the plant while the container is rotated on the plant support;
• (d) causing the manipulator to grasp and unload the first container to a drop-off location within the workspace;
• (e) successively repeating steps (a) to (d) for remaining containers in the plurality of plant containers.