Odd.Bot weeding robot now ready for practical use

Since early June 2024, one of the four Odd.Bot weeding robots has been in operation on the We Grow Organic Farm in the Netherlands. – Photos: Koos Groenewold

Can a field robot compete with manual labor? At We Grow Organic Farm in the Netherlands, they are going to test this year. Thijs Geerse of We Grow Organic believes there is a good chance the rental machine will be acquired and remain on the farm. “But it would be great if we could extend the time window in which the Odd.Bot can operate. First the onions, then the carrots.”

For weeding carrots by hand at the organic arable farm We Grow Organic Farm in the Dutch village Zeewolde, it takes 100 hours per hectare. At €25 per hour, that amounts to €2,500 per hectare. This is what the Odd.Bot weeding robot has to compete with. The robot costs €93,000 and can cover about one hectare per day, depending on the weed pressure in the carrot rows.

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A detailed point of attention is the wear and tear on the grippers.

Grippers, a point of attention

We Grow Organic Farm has 240 hectares of organic crops. These crops rotate in a 1-in-8 rotation with a livestock farmer over a total of 360 hectares. Since early June 2024, one of the four Odd.Bot weeding robots has been in operation on the farm. On Friday, July 5, all four machines from the so-called ‘zero series’ were operating on an 11-hectare plot of carrots in Zeewolde. “In fact, this is the crystallized machine after six years of development that we are now going to start producing in larger numbers,” says Martijn Lukaart of Odd.Bot.

The initial focus is on carrots, onions, and chicory, on ridges, flat fields, and beds. This spring, the four machines are being rented to interested farmers in France, Germany, and the Netherlands. For 2025, there are plans to build a broader working robot that can handle four rows instead of two. A detailed point of attention is the wear and tear on the grippers; harder, more wear-resistant material should ensure they last longer. Due to the low weight (fast working), titanium steel is a promising option.

Martijn Lukaart of Odd.Bot: "In fact, this is the crystallized machine after six years of development that we are now going to start producing in larger numbers." — Martijn Lukaart of Odd.Bot: “In fact, this is the crystallized machine after six years of development that we are now going to start producing in larger numbers.”

Extending the time window

Thijs Geerse of We Grow Organic BV sees a business case for the machine. However, the time window in which there is work for the Odd.Bot needs to be extended. The rental machine from the zero series of Odd.Bot has been working in carrots since early June. “Before that,” says Geerse, “it would be great if it could first handle the onions. And then move on to the carrots. It’s important for us to keep the machine continuously working. Carrots fit well after onions, but we need immediate capacity. We grow storage carrots, so we sow our area all at once. After flaming before emergence, it’s a matter of keeping the rows weed-free.”

Thijs Geerse of We Grow Organic: "It's important for us to keep the machine continuously working." — Thijs Geerse of We Grow Organic: “It’s important for us to keep the machine continuously working.”

Approximately three-quarters saves a lot

If about three-quarters can be done with the robot, it already saves a lot compared to manual labor. Geerse notes that as the carrot plants get bigger, the robot no longer sees all the small weeds in the row. The human eye still proves better in this regard. “Maybe there’s a possibility to let the camera look more from the side or push the carrot plants slightly aside to see more underneath.” In any case, Thijs Geerse believes there is a good chance the rental machine will be acquired and remain on the farm.