Robotics company swarms agriculture with mechanical weed control

Not long ago, futuristic movies predicted that technology would supersede humans and robots would invade the world.

Science fiction has become reality as robots swarm into modern agriculture.

Greenfield Robotics has unleashed an unequivocal method of weed management through a Botony fleet of robots. Powered by artificial intelligence, these autonomous robots mechanically control weed growth.

“We’re providing a tool that allows a farmer to reduce or eventually eliminate the need for herbicide. Not only are we reducing the reliance on chemicals, but we’re doing so in a way that’s easy to maintain and not as expensive,” said Jared Brown, head of business development for Greenfield Robotics.

The need for alternative weed control was apparent to company founder Clint Brauer. He had left behind the rural lifestyle of his youth to pursue a career as a technology executive in Los Angeles. But when his father developed Parkinson’s disease, Brauer left his 14-year career to become a third-generation farmer on his family’s farm near Cheney, Kansas.

The cause of his father’s Parkinson’s disease was attributed to farm chemical exposure.

After his father passed away, Brauer sought a way to farm without chemicals. However, he quickly realized that this required excess manual labor. Shortage of labor is a major barrier, and tools for non-tillage weed control were limited, as well.

“His idea was to figure out how to cut weeds without using labor,” said Brown.

Brauer contacted colleagues from his former career who are versed in engineering and software development, including company co-founder and CTO Steven Gentner, who built most of the software systems used by Greenfield Robotics. They incorporated Greenfield Robotics in 2019.

Creating an autonomous and affordable method of chemical-free weed control was a “daunting” task.

“They had to figure out how to build robots that will run 2 ½ to 3 ½ mph with spinning blades—without cutting down crop,” he emphasized.

Brauer’s vision became a fleet of robots capable of cutting weeds at ground level and navigating rows of crops within centimeter accuracy. Greenfield Robotics developed its own RTK (Real-time Kinetics) positioning system to enhance the precision of its GPS navigation. The robots are equipped with Starlink for additional reliability.

Initially, the robots were directed through vision. The next model relied on machine learning. Now, the company surveys the field with a drone and generates a map of the territory.

“We fly drones to survey the field 14-21 days after planting or when the crop is 4-8 inches tall to identify things we don’t want to hit or that could cause Botony robot issues,” Brown explained.

In addition to the crop itself, they avoid badger or coyote holes, irrigation pivot tracks, or water draws. They also denote the center of the crop rows. Based on these annotations, they can then establish tracks for the robots.

The Botony robots are deployed as a fleet running in a field as a swarm. Each can cover one-half to 1 acre per hour.

Human intervention is minimal. The producer delivers the Botony robots to the field and places them on the designated “home” section, then notifies Greenfield Robotics.

“We start the system, and the robots take off, line up in rows and start going,” said Brown. “The farmer can leave the field, and the robots will run in a swarm.”

While the producer is away completing other tasks, Greenfield Robotics employees are remotely monitoring the machines. The company hires an additional 10-15 high school or college-aged interns during the season for this job. Brown said the system alerts the operator if a machine is stuck or requires human intervention, which is becoming more infrequent every season.

The robots have proven they can handle inclines and varying terrain. Brown said they have been tested in “vigorous situations” in California and even across terraces more locally. “They can handle up to a 15-degree grade without any problems,” he concluded.

The Botony fleet can be equipped with tires or tracks for variations in landscape.

“If you’re in a really clay field, a track bot can handle that better,” said Brown. “Florida is sandy, almost like a beach … we have a special tire and don’t use knobby tires down there.”

The robots run an average of five hours before the battery runs low. Depending on the layout of the field, they are programmed to either return to the “home” section or wait at the end of the row for a battery change. The farmer receives notification to change the battery.

The robots use about 12 cents of energy per operating hour, said Brown.

This is the first season that farmers will be directly responsible for launching the robots themselves. In the past, either a Greenfield Robotics employee or a partnering organization, such as a local co-op, would deliver and manage the robots.

The company leases the machines to producers. With technology constantly progressing, the leasing model ensures that producers are using the most updated equipment, said Brown.

A major advancement this growing season is an attachment for foliar feeding. The multi-functional chassis is equipped with both a tank to distribute nutrients and the blades for cutting weeds.

Brown hinted of a Botony robot to be released next year with potential to completely eliminate the need for herbicide application.

“Through the use of cover crops, mulching and planting, you can hold weeds for 45-50 days. And if you can do that, you don’t need to apply any herbicide,” Brown said.

The weed-cutting robots have been widely used in broadacre fields of corn, soybeans, milo, cotton and sunflowers; they have also been tested in lemon orchards and vineyards. For 2025, they have expanded more into vegetable production in fields of cabbage, sweet corn, squash, cherry tomatoes and peppers.

Brown said the robots are “crop agnostic,” meaning that the crop type does not matter. He further clarified, “It’s more about row spacing so the robots can run between rows without cutting any crop.”

Currently, row spacing must be 30 inches or more.

Their clientele represents conventional, organic and regenerative farming practices, as well as both no-till and strip till fields.

Greenfield Robotics has been swarming broader territory every year. Historically, they radiated out from their birthplace in south central Kansas. This season, they will be servicing seven states, including Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Florida. Reservations for the 2026 growing season have been secured in 16 states.

They anticipate global outreach in the near future. Brown said they have had inquiries from every continent.