With the help of the e-commerce platform Farmers Business Network, a business with the financial support of a wealthy Brazilian family will provide US farmers with robots that spray pesticides and fertilizer, according to a report by Bloomberg.
However, these are not your regular robots. They are autonomous, solar-powered, and AI-driven!
A weeding robot is pictured during a demonstration of new technologies "Digifermes" (Digital farms) at the Arvalis farm, an applied agricultural research organisation dedicated to arable crops, on June 15, 2016 in Saint-Hilaire-en-Woevre, eastern France
Combining Agrochemicals and Robotics
These robots are built to only apply fertilizer and weed killer in areas where it is needed. The technique is already being employed in Brazil, and the company claims it can cut product consumption by as much as 70%.
As a result of the agreement, both businesses will collaborate with US farmers to market the robot and create fresh strategies for combining agrochemicals with robotics technology.
The wealthy Brazilian Trajano family, who built their money in retail, supports Solinftec. The startup's technology makes the most effective use of herbicides and seeds by analyzing crops and weather data using artificial intelligence.
With the partnership, Solinftec claims it can service more than 124 million acres in the following years, which is higher than its existing service area of 22 million acres (8.9 million hectares).
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How the Robot Works
In order to help the grower make informed decisions regarding their fields, the automated equipment will scan the crops and record their growth rates, plant health, and the prevalence of any weeds.
The robot works well with a variety of row crops, including maize, soybeans, cotton, wheat, canola, and many more, and is best suited for farms with a size of 500 acres or less, as per No-Till Farmer.
The scouting and sprayer robots from Solinftec were also designed to help farmers use fewer chemicals, leaving a smaller carbon footprint.
In addition to the ones being tested this year, the company already has 30 robots to deliver to producers in spring 2023, according to Leonardo Carvalho, director of operations for Solinftec.
Solinftec sold roughly $27 million in green bonds this year and secured a $60 million investment from private equity investors The Lightsmith Group and Unbox Capital, which looks after investments for the Trajano family.
The company anticipates reaching a $1 billion valuation by the time of the series C round, which will take place at the end of this year, according to Bloomberg.
Farmers look at a weeding robot during a demonstration of new technologies "Digifermes" (Digital farms) at the Arvalis farm, an applied agricultural research organisation dedicated to arable crops, on June 15, 2016 in Saint-Hilaire-en-Woevre, eastern France.
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Written by Joaquin Victor Tacla
