Ecorobotix

Switzerland's Ecorobotix grew out of a simple observation: why spray the whole crop if the weeds are only in a few places? The founding year and headquarters were not confirmed in verified sources, but the direction of the product is documented. The ARA and the larger ARA620 use RGB and 3D cameras to recognize more than 50 weed species with sub-centimeter accuracy, and then apply the product to a 6x6 cm patch. The manufacturer claims herbicide use is reduced by up to 95%, and in one recorded case, in onion growing, by 96%. All these values come from the manufacturer and have not been independently verified. According to the company, the machines work in more than 20 countries, although the list of countries and a presence in Poland have not been confirmed. Ecorobotix is not a friendly robot but a machine meant to lower the chemicals bill. This line of reasoning, cutting chemicals through precision, fits the European trend toward reducing plant protection products, which we cover in a wider context in “Robots in Farming: How Field Automation Looks in Poland”. We found no information on funding rounds in verified sources, so we do not guess at the company's scale.

The portfolio is a family of sprayers described as Ecorobotix ARA. The ARA620 has a working width of 6.20 m, six camera modules, 156 precision nozzles and a set weight of about 2,550 kg (the spraying module plus a full front tank). It is towed behind a tractor and powered through the power take-off shaft and hydraulics. The system recognizes more than 50 weed species and has sub-centimeter accuracy. It is not a mobile robot in the classic sense but precision-farming equipment, so its place is the farm application and the broad category “Specialist robots”. The price is not public. For a broader picture of robotization in the fields, see “Robots in Farming: How Field Automation Looks in Poland”, and for how to calculate the profitability of such equipment, see “Humanoid Robot TCO: How to Calculate Total Cost”. One thing is worth noting: the ARA does not drive itself, it works behind a tractor, so the driver stays in the field. The automation concerns the decision to spray, not driving the machine. Sub-centimeter accuracy and the 6x6 cm spot are the most important parameters against which to check any competing offer. In the verified sources the manufacturer gives neither a price nor a per-hectare output. For weeding equipment, also see Naio Oz.

In computer-vision-based precision spraying, Ecorobotix is set against Bilberry and John Deere's See & Spray system, the brand we cover as John Deere (autonomous solutions). We do not have exact specifications of the competitors, so we do not set numbers side by side. Among other agricultural robots it meets in rankings: Carbon Robotics LaserWeeder from Carbon Robotics eliminates weeds with a laser, and Naio Oz from Naio Technologies is an autonomous weeding robot. Ecorobotix focuses solely on spot spraying, not on full autonomy in the field. Its strong points are the scale of chemical savings and, according to the manufacturer, a dealer network in more than 20 countries; its weak points are the absence of a public price and the unconfirmed availability in Poland. There is no funding or valuation for the company. Competitors using a different technology, laser for example, change the economic equation: instead of a chemical product the operating cost is different, which shows how quickly this market is changing. The purchase decision therefore depends on the crop, field size and local regulations.

The availability of the ARA in Poland is not confirmed. We found no Polish dealer and no farm described as a user. That is all the more interesting because Polish agriculture has a strong interest in reducing plant protection products, and spot-spraying systems fit that trend. An interested farmer should ask dealers in neighboring countries and check whether service covers Poland. General information on robots in Polish agriculture is in “Robots in Farming: How Field Automation Looks in Poland”, and on funding options for a purchase in the text “Poland's Robotization Tax Relief” (Poland's robotization tax relief, ulga na robotyzację). Prices and service terms in Poland are not known, so any conversation with a supplier should begin with the question of who services the machine after the sale.

The ARA620 is serious equipment for large field and vegetable farms, and the herbicide reduction of up to 95% is a claim worth testing on your own fields. In Poland its availability is unconfirmed, so for now it is a subject for a talk with a dealer, not for an order. If you run a smaller farm, first check the simpler solutions in the category “Specialist robots”. Ask about price, service and data from crops similar to yours, because the savings depend on the field.