The Robovator is a vision based robotic hoeing machine for controlling weeds in row crops.

Low Power Requirements

Hydraulically operated
Power consumption is low; about 1 hp/row using PTO.
Low weight 1500 lbs (700kg)
Operating speed: 1.2mph – 5mph (2 – 8 km/h)
Minimum maintenance

Automatic Hoeing in the Row

Can easily be adjusted to any row spacing 9” – 30” (25cm – 75cm).
Each row has its own camera.
Automatic side shift; self centering

Easy to Operate

Easy to operate, can be controlled by your smart phone, laptop or by its own display.
Software installed for transplanted vegetables or direct seed crops
Can easily be updated with new software.

“We are seeing removal of up to 95% of the weeds that are out there in transplanted crops and up to 85% in seeded crops. A hand crew is not going to get 100% and is going to be less effective as they get tired. With this machine you can adjust the values and get it to work day and night.”

-Bart Walker

In use in the following countries:

Germany
Netherlands
United Kingdom
and here in the United States.

Robovator has been in use in the UK for 8 years and since 2015 here in the United States weeding over 4500 acres in California and Arizona.

The Robovator is a robot that is equipped with a special plant detection camera above each row of crop. It has a mechanical tool (much like a hoe) which is operated by hydraulic power.

The “intelligent” weeding tools are normally staying in the row but are moved out of the row when a crop plant is passing. The hydraulic components are very robust and designed for operating at high speed and long life.

The specially designed plant detection cameras fitted on each parallelogram continuously monitors the passing plants. If a crop plant passes, the computer will send a signal to the hydraulic controlled tool which at the specified time will be moved out of the row. When the crop plant has passed, the tool will be moved into the row again. If there is a gap in the row e.g. one or more plants are missing, the tool will just stay in the row.

The automatic lateral control will make sure that the machine stays in the exact position even if the tractor goes off track.

Features:

High performance of mechanical components
Automatic lateral alignment of machine
Each hoeing tools individually controlled by separate cameras
Hydraulic operated for long life
On-board hydraulic and electric power supply
Very simple to operate, also for the unskilled operator.
Individual electronic adjustment of hoeing parameters during operation
Hoeing tools are protected from overload by springs
Suitable for transplanted or direct seeded crops until closing of the rows
Detection of weeds by discriminating between plant seizes
High capacity, depending on soil and plant conditions – up to 1.5 - 2/hour!
Low power requirement of only 5 KW

Operating range:

Plant sizes: from 1" - 12"
Distances between plants: from 2" to infinite
Bed Spacing 60” - 84”
Row Spacing 8” - 40”
Speed: 1 – 3 mph depending on plant and weed density
Available in 6-12 lines per bed with a single machine with up 3 machines on a stacker bar.
8 line machine available with ability to do 4 - 40” beds

Limitations:

Plants are overlapping, the row is closed.
Weed size is same as or larger than crop size (requires hand crew).

Proven in an increasing amount of crops and spacings.

Head Lettuce
Romaine
Red Lettuce

Kale
Basil
Hemp

Broccoli
Cauliflower

Celery
Fennel
Tomatoes

Peppers
Melons

Artichokes
Sweet Potatoes
Corn

“Machine learning is supplementing labor. Robovator is significantly reducing back breaking work allowing us to transition labor to tasks that are harder to automate.”

— John Louie

“By combining up to 4 cultivating tasks into one pass Robovator relieves not only all costs associated to labor but mechanical operating costs as well.”

— Karl Yates

Automated Mechanical Weeding

Robovator.com | Automated Mechanical Weeding

The Robovator is a vision based robotic hoeing machine for controlling weeds in row crops.

The Robovator is a vision based robotic hoeing machine for controlling weeds in row crops.

Low Power Requirements

Automatic Hoeing in the Row

Easy to Operate

In use in the following countries:

Robovator has been in use in the UK for 8 years and since 2015 here in the United States weeding over 4500 acres in California and Arizona.

Features:

Operating range:

Limitations:

Proven in an increasing amount of crops and spacings.