Future Farming

The Ecorobotix Ara has a working width of 6 m divided into three units of 3 m each. Across that working width, 156 spray nozzles are fitted. Photos: Ecorobotix Ecorobotix has reported positive results from a US field trial with its ARA spot sprayer in a tall fescue crop grown for seed. According to the manufacturer, the machine reduced spray volume by 84% compared with a broadcast application. The trial took place in 2025 at Oregon State University’s Hyslop Research Farm in Oregon.

AX-1 works best on small weeds, so treatment should start earlier than with broadcast spraying. Photos: Kilter Kilter’s AX-1 robots apply herbicide in precise micro-droplets directly onto weeds, and have helped growers avoid spraying more than 1 million litres of herbicide mixture compared to what conventional broadcast spraying would have used.

The Austrian manufacturer Farm-ING is launching 2 smaller SpotSprayING models, with working widths of 2.5 to 3 metres and 4.5 metres. Photo: Farm-ING Austrian manufacturer Farm-ING is expanding its SpotSprayING range with 2 smaller versions. The machines have working widths of 2.5 to 3 metres and 4.5 metres and are intended for arable farmers who want to carry out spot spraying themselves.

Greenfield has 82 robots operating in paying customers’ fields across 16 states. Photos: Greenfield Robotics US company Greenfield Robotics has opened its ownership to everyday investors, aiming to raise up to $18.6 million (€16.3 million) through a Regulation A+ offering on StartEngine. Shares are priced at $2.07 (€1.82) each, and the offering is open to both accredited and non-accredited US investors, as well as international investors.

Tom, Sarah and Phillip Coggan. The family uses autonomous SwarmFarm Robotics sprayers for targeted weed control, reducing chemical use during fallow spraying. Photos: Chris McCullough Labour shortages and rising machinery costs prompted Australian mixed farmer Tom Coggan to invest in autonomous spraying. Coggan Farms now operates 2 SwarmFarm Robotics SwarmBots equipped with Weed-It spot-spraying cameras and AutoFill technology.

Trust is the basis for adopting new technology Dutch fruit grower Peter Baars works with an autonomously driven tractor, and he is pleased with it. It could be even better if the tractor and implement communicated and worked together as a single unit. “You can see it, it does what it is supposed to do,” says Peter Baars, pointing to the Fendt 211 Vario.

What the 2026 Crop Robotics Landscape means for growers The full 2026 Crop Robotics Landscape graphic. Image: The Mixing Bowl More than 400 companies worldwide are now racing to build robots for food crop production – a jump of nearly 25% since 2024. That figure, unveiled this week in the 2026 Crop Robotics Landscape from The Mixing Bowl and the California AgTech Alliance during a webinar, tells only part of the story.

400+ crop robotics companies, but where are robots really gaining ground? The full 2026 Crop Robotics Landscape graphic. Image: The Mixing Bowl More than 400 companies worldwide are now developing robotics for food crop production, more than 20% more than in 2024. But rapid growth in suppliers does not mean equally rapid adoption on farms.

Field validation pushes precision farming technology closer to commercial use Photos: Mark Pasveer Agricultural innovation is increasingly about refining existing concepts rather than introducing completely new machines. At the AgroTechniek Holland (ATH) show in the Netherlands, Future Farming saw how developers are using field validation, improved AI algorithms and practical experience to move precision farming and autonomous systems closer to commercial farm use.

AgXeed demonstrated an autonomously operated potato harvester at trade fair PotatoEurope, held on 9 and 10 September in Springe (D). It is not yet everyday practice, but the sector is looking for ways to become more efficient. Camera technology and autonomy can make a significant contribution to this. Photo: Martin Smits PotatoEurope and the former BeetEurope have been merged into PotatoEurope and SugarBeet Expo. This is more efficient for the organisation and some of the exhibitors.