Robots Keep Fields Weed-Free

Robots Keep Fields Weed-Free CULTIVATORS Clint Brauer put his California technology experience to use when he returned to the family farm in south central Kansas Needing to fight herbicide-resistant weeds and wanting to reduce chemical use on the farm Brauer came up with a novel solution Over the past several years he has been building a fleet of robots They’re designed to travel between rows cutting any weeds they encounter day or night Solar panels power the robots including the dual motors at the front of the machine with their rotating blades This year Brauer’s company Greenfield Robotics has its third-generation fleet working on paid acres in Nebraska northern Oklahoma and south-central Kansas It’s the company’s third year of paid acres of weed control “We reached our goals for the summer but I feel we need one more summer of field trials ” says Brauer “Our hardware will be where we want it by November of this year and we’re confident our software will be ready by April next year ” One new piece of hardware to be added in 2025 is a state-of-the-art light sensor for real-time tissue analysis Rock River Laboratory developed the sensor to identify nutrient deficiencies in crops It was field-tested on broad-acre crops like soybeans in 2024 “By combining Rock River Laboratory’s expertise in plant tissue analysis with our robotics technology we’re working toward providing farmers with a powerful tool to take proactive control of their crops’ nutrient health ” says Brauer The machines are 4 ft long 3 ft tall and sized to fit in 30-in row spacings Cameras and guidance system antennae ride on a 5-ft tall pole Weights range from 300 to 400 lbs depending on the version Suspension safety features and a chassis designed to support modular attachments like sprayers are proprietary designs built from the ground up on Brauer’s farm “Any part on the robot can be replaced in 15 min or less ” says Brauer “That was my edict after working on poorly designed equipment growing up on the farm ” In addition to reducing chemical use Greenfield robots will cause only a fraction of the yield-robbing compaction left behind by even moderate-sized tractors or highboy sprayers “We’re testing them out for foliar feeding ” says Brauer “We want to see if they can carry enough product to feed the crop while cutting weeds ” “We feel the fewer sensors the better ” says Brauer “We use field imagery as part of how we navigate and ground-truth as the robots travel the field ” A drone captures a field map including borders and anomalies such as irrigation systems and even coyote burrows Brauer notes that the latter are common in his part of Kansas “Our images have to be hyper-precise ” he says “Ours are within 1 to 2 cm ” Using the field map and guidance the robots travel the field as a swarm each carrying out the task on its rows Using machine vision and AI they talk to each other deciding where to go all on their own “The farmer doesn’t have to be there ” says Brauer “We don’t even have to be there ” The number of units in a field will depend on its size and weed density Advances in software have increased the number that can be operated at once “Two years ago with a communications center needed at the end of the field we could handle up to 10 units in a field at a time ” says Brauer “We eliminated the need for communications so now the question is what is the right size fleet for a particular field and how soon can it get the job done? Most times we want it done in 1 to 2 days ” Once in the field and operating the AI-type software system can adapt on the go If equipped with tracks Brauer expects the robots will be able to bridge coyote holes eliminating them as a problem He’s confident Greenfield Robotics is close to a commercial introduction Several large investors including the investment arm of Chipotle Mexican Grill agree Greenfield Robotics has raised around $12 million in capital and is seeking more Brauer says his next big challenge will be connecting with farmers Does Greenfield handle delivery and service or does the secondary market handle that? “How do we make this smooth for everyone?” questions Brauer Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Greenfield Robotics 36706 W 39th St S Cheney Kan 67025 GFR@Greenfieldrobotics com; www greenfieldincorporated com

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