FarmDroid

FarmDroid develops and manufactures autonomous, solar-powered agricultural robots for precision seeding and weed control. The company's flagship product, the FD20, is a self-sufficient robot that uses high-precision GPS technology to record the exact location of each seed it plants, enabling subsequent mechanical weeding both between rows and between individual plants without requiring camera systems. The robot operates at speeds up to 950 million/hour and can cover approximately six hectares per day. Operating on solar power through four solar panels that charge lithium-ion batteries, the FD20 can work continuously for up to 24 hours, making it completely CO2-neutral. The machine weighs 900kg and features a 3-meter working width with adjustable row distances from 22.5cm to 75cm. The robot's seeding precision allows it to reduce herbicide usage by up to 90% when equipped with spot spraying capabilities. In organic farming applications, customers have reported yield increases of 40-60% over tractor-hoed crops due to precise seed placement and intra-row weed control. The FD20 is compatible with over 50 different crops, including sugar beets, onions, spinach, rapeseed, and various herbs. As of October 2023, FarmDroid has deployed more than 500 robots across more than 20 countries.

Key customers and partnerships

FarmDroid has established a network of distributors across multiple countries. In Ireland, IAM Agricultural Machinery was appointed as the sole distributor in 2022. In the UK, OPICO has been distributing FarmDroid products since 2022. The company has secured significant adoption among organic farmers, with notable success in European markets. In the US, Oregon State University's North Willamette Research and Extension Center has incorporated FarmDroid into their research programs to study its effectiveness compared to traditional farming methods. One French organic farmer reported that the FD20 paid for itself in just one season by saving approximately 200 labor hours per hectare per year.