Active node control planting mode

A transplanting system, comprising:

• an articulator supported by one or more drive wheels;
• an automated slip transplanter mounted to the articulator, wherein the automated slip transplanter has a first hitch that is pivotally hitched to a second hitch of the articular;
• and
• a plurality of harvested slips disposed in a plurality of slip cartridges, the plurality of slip cartridges arranged in one or more rows of slip cartridges that are stacked in a main body frame of the automated slip transplanter, wherein the main body frame comprises a top body frame vertically disposed over a bottom body frame;
• wherein the automated slip transplanter further comprises:
• a planter unit configured to plant a plurality of consistent row of evenly spaced slips in a field;
• a singulation unit having a plurality of automated grippers and a plurality of slip cartridges, the singulation unit configured to continuously singulate harvested slips that are stored in the plurality of slip cartridges;
• a conveyor belt having a belt and a plurality of brushed holders, the plurality of brushed holders pivotally disposed on the belt, wherein the plurality of brushed holders are configured to receive the singulated slips from the plurality of automated grippers, and the belt is configured to transfer the received slips to the planter unit;
• a node sensor associated with the planter unit, the singulation unit, and the conveyor belt, the node sensor configured to autonomously monitor the singulated slips as they are transferred throughout the automated slip transplanter and collect performance data of the singulated slips in real-time;
• and
• a controller communicatively coupled to the node sensor, the controller configured to implement one or more operational modes and dynamically adjust a planting slip rate based on the one or more operational modes and the performance data collected by the node sensor, wherein, when an active depth control planting mode is selected, the controller dynamically adjusts a planting depth of the slips based on one or more planting measurements collected during planting.

A method for transplanting harvested slips with an automated slip transplanter, comprising:

• continuously singulating harvested slips from a plurality of slip cartridges in a singulation unit of automated slip transplanter, wherein the singulation unit comprises a plurality of automated grippers;
• transferring the singulated slips from the plurality of slip cartridges with the plurality of automated grippers and discharging the singulated slips on a conveyor belt, wherein the conveyor belt comprises a plurality of brushed holders pivotally disposed on a belt;
• receiving the singulated slips with the plurality of brushed holders and transferring the received slips on the belt to a planter unit of the automated slip transplanter;
• autonomously collecting performance data of the singulated slips in real-time with a node sensor, wherein the node sensor is associated with the planter unit, the singulation unit, and the conveyor belt;
• monitoring the singulated slips as they are transferred throughout the automated slip transplanter;
• dynamically adjusting a planting slip rate with a controller that is communicatively coupled to the node sensor, the controller is configured to implement one or more operational modes, wherein the planting slip rate is dynamically adjusted by the controller based on the one or more operations modes and the performance data collected by the node sensor;
• and
• planting a plurality of consistent rows of evenly spaced slips in a field with the planter unit of the automated slip transplanter based on the planting slip rate;
• wherein, when an active depth control planting mode is selected, the controller dynamically adjusts a planting depth of the slips based on one or more planting measurements collected during planting.