Advanced Weed Management

Robots are automating weed management and crop scouting.

- Alex GrayNew Products [e-mail]

Precision sprayers have already hit the market, making chemical use more efficient than traditional broadcast methods. Specialized equipment is the next step to the future of automated farming.

"The opportunity with having something autonomous you can engage with through a mobile app is that you can optimize your time as well," said Taylor Wetli, commercial and business development manager for Solinftec. "Sometimes, a farmer has to pick between hauling grain or spraying, and they still have to get everything done. There's a lot of efficiency gains when you have something autonomously connected with the field."

Solinftec Solix

Solinftec, an ag tech company, has developed Solix: an autonomous, solar-powered scouting and sprayer robot. The robot has a 40-foot boom, with eight cameras controlling three nozzles each. Solix uses targeted application, powered by Solinftec's proprietary artificial intelligence (AI), using the cameras to identify weeds and only spray where detected. Solix is also scouting — understanding plant emergence, generating a weed map, and monitoring crop health.