Robot: Maverick (including 2 or 3 weeding arms)
Task(s): Mechanical in-row weeding
Development start: September 2018
Pricing: €95,000 (US $101.185 according to the exchange rate of 11-11-2024).
Manufacturer:
Description
Maverick performs autonomous day and night mechanical in-row weeding solutions in (organic) carrots, onions and chicory (more crops to follow). The solution is to replace 80 per cent of all manual weeding for up to 10 manual weeders per Maverick unit.
The Maverick vehicle is 1.50 metres wide, and the track width can be extended to a maximum of 2.25 metres. It can drive fully autonomously at speeds up to 600 metres per hour and can turn autonomously on headlands as well.
Drive train type
Maverick has an electric driveline and two wheels are propelled.
Characteristics
The Maverick has 4 retractable wheels that can carry up to 3 Weader weeding arms. The Weader is a delta arm robot with 3 degrees of freedom. The vehicle can drive up to 600 metres per hour and weighs less than 400 kilograms. The field robot is powered by 1 up to 3 24-volt batteries with a capacity/range of 8 hours each enabling Maverick to operate continuously, day and night.
Navigation system
It uses sensor-fusing stereo-vision, visual odometry, inertial measurement and crop-line following. It stops directly if it hits or detects an obstruction in its path.
Specifications
| Name/type robot | Maverick (NL) |
| Dimensions | Length 2,02 m, width 1.70 m, height 1.39 m, track width 1.50 or 2.25 m |
| Turning radius | 2.18 m (at 1.5 m track width) |
| Weight | Below 400 kg |
| Energy source | 1 to 3 24-volt batteries |
| Energy stock/range | 8 hours per battery |
| Driveline | Electrical |
| Navigation system | Sensor fusing crop line follower, 3D visual navigation and IMU |
| Output capacity | 0.0625 ha/hour (1 ha in 16 hours) |
| Pricing | Maverick is available from €95,000. A single Weader weeding arms sells for €32,000 |
| Availability (countries) | Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands |
| Units operational (total end 2024) | 4 |
