Robot: Jetty
Task(s): Herbicide-free precision thermal weeding
Development start: 2018
Pricing: As a service: US $50 fixed cost + US $0.005 variable per-weed per acre, with a US $200 floor and US $1,500 ceiling per acre.
Manufacturer:
Description
Jetty performs herbicide-free precision thermal weeding in high density row crops such as carrots and spring mix. It identifies weeds among crops, using computer vision. It then sprays a micro-dose of organic-approved high temperature vegetable oil onto the weeds with sub-cm precision to kill the weeds and allow crops to flourish. According to Tensorfield, Jetty delivers the fastest, most cost-effective method of getting a precise lethal dose of heat energy into a weed, to kill the weed in a targeted fashion among post-emergent crop foliage.
Drive train type
4x independently driven and steered wheels powered by 1.5kW brushless DC motors, planetary gear reduction and chain-sprocket final drive. Able to turn on the spot and move sideways for easy end-of-row manoeuvrability.
Characteristics
22kW onboard heating system to target weeds in a standard 80-inch bed at 1.2 mph.
Navigation system
Manual operator for path planning and driving. Autonomous weed detection, targeting and spray for weed removal step.
Specifications
| Name robot | Jetty |
| Dimensions | Length 3.3 m, width 2.6 m, height 2.5m |
| Turning radius | 0 |
| Weight | 1,500 kg |
| Energy source | Propane plus Lithium Iron Phosphate battery (LiFePO4) |
| Energy stock/range | Depends on weed pressures – target range is 10 acres on one fill of propane and vegetable oil. |
| Driveline | 4x independently driven and steered wheels powered by 1.5kW brushless DC motors, planetary gear reduction and chain-sprocket final drive |
| Output capacity | One acre weeded per hour per machine |
| Navigation system | N/A |
| Pricing | As a service: US $50 fixed cost + US $0.005 variable per-weed per acre, with a US $200 floor and US $1,500 ceiling per acre. |
| Availability (countries) | West Coast of USA |
| Units operational (total end 2023) | Undisclosed |
