Dutch grower: ‘This is the machine that gives us excellent results’
A LaserWeeder costing €1.4 million is “a significant investment, even for us”, says Adrie van den Einden, a Dutch vegetable grower. “But we’ve gained confidence in it, and it’s a good investment. Better than this doesn’t exist anywhere in the world. It’s a large amount, but a machine that only provides a partial solution is useless to me. This is the machine that gives us excellent results and makes us extremely satisfied.”
Van den Einden is highly impressed with the LaserWeeder from the U.S.-based Carbon Robotics, which he has been using for nearly a season. The machine identifies weeds among crops and targets them with a laser beam that immediately scorches the weed. Using computer vision and AI deep learning models, the LaserWeeder identifies weeds and crops in real-time and eradicates the weeds with precision lasers. Van den Einden cultivates 235 hectares in the Netherlands, of which 27 hectares are organic.
AI recognizes weeds at the seedling stage
The LaserWeeder used by Van den Einden is equipped with 30 lasers, each 150 watts, directed by movable mirrors. Ten crop cameras, supported by lamps, utilize AI to detect weeds in their cotyledon stage, right after germination. The mirrors guide the lasers to the exact weed locations, scorching them on the spot. Under the machine, curling plumes of smoke can be seen as the weeds are burned.
“The machine works with millimeter precision”, says Van den Einden. The machine can be configured to either:
- Remove 100% of the weeds, even if it means sacrificing a crop plant.
- Avoid damaging any crop plants, even if a few weeds are left behind.
Van den Einden explains, “Our goal is to hit every weed without harming any crop plants, and we’re almost there.” According to him, the machine replaces the work of 100 people.
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Eighty weeds per second
The LaserWeeder can target up to 80 weeds per second, averaging 3,000–4,000 weeds per minute. The laser’s pinpoint accuracy, about the size of a needle tip, ensures that the heat does not harm wildlife. An insect mistakenly identified as a weed, however, won’t survive.
A key advantage of the laser over traditional methods like hoeing or pulling weeds is that it doesn’t disturb the soil, avoiding the stimulation of new weed seeds to germinate.
Operating speed and efficiency
The machine operates at speeds of 0.5 to 2 km/h. Using Isobus, the system can adjust the tractor’s speed based on the density of weeds, though this feature is yet to be configured for Van den Einden’s setup. The LaserWeeder is mounted on the three-point hitch of a six-cylinder John Deere tractor and weighs 4.3 tons. In the field, the machine rolls on four support wheels, following the tractor between crop rows. At headlands, the tractor has to lift it.
After two treatments, spaced about 14 days apart, the six-meter-wide LaserWeeder clears crop beds of more than 99% of weeds. Any remaining weeds that germinate later are typically outcompeted by the crop. Rare leftover weeds are removed during harvesting or processing.
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Key decision influences
Van den Einden shared that he was already convinced of the machine’s potential for his farm based on internet research. However, visiting the factory in Seattle and, more importantly, a fellow grower in Arizona sealed the deal. “That colleague had just ordered his second machine. That was very convincing.
In addition to the machine’s purchase price, there’s an annual cost of €60,000 for licensing, personalized support from Seattle, and maintenance for up to 19 weeks. For year-round use, this cost increases to €122,000.
Despite these costs, Van den Einden is convinced of the value: “This machine is the future of precision farming, and for us, there’s nothing better on the market.”
