Laser Weeding Robot WeedBot Completes 10,000-Acre Operations in US Midwest: Pesticide Use Drops to Zero
Carbon Robotics' laser weeding robot WeedBot completed over 10,000 acres of soybean field weeding in Iowa and Illinois, using AI vision to identify weeds and precision laser burning for removal, achieving zero pesticide use with 98.2% weed elimination rate.
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US agricultural technology company Carbon Robotics announced in May that its laser weeding robot WeedBot completed over 10,000 acres of soybean field weeding in Iowa and Illinois. WeedBot uses AI vision systems to identify weeds between crop rows, then precisely burns weed growth points with a 150-watt high-energy laser, achieving zero pesticide use throughout.
Each WeedBot processes approximately 15 acres per hour with a 98.2% weed elimination rate and only 0.3% crop damage rate. Carbon Robotics CEO Paul Mikesell said: "Chemical herbicides not only pollute the environment but also cause weed resistance. WeedBot offers an alternative physical weeding approach."
In Iowa trials, WeedBot-treated soybean fields showed approximately 5% higher yields than chemical herbicide control fields. Carbon Robotics attributes this to laser weeding avoiding herbicide damage to soil microbial communities.
However, each WeedBot costs approximately $500,000, presenting a high investment barrier for small and medium farms. Carbon Robotics is exploring a "robot-as-a-service" (RaaS) model, charging per acre of operation to reduce farmers' upfront investment.
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