Grasshopper (agricultural robot)

History

2025: Product Announcement

At the end of June 2025, the Swiss agrotechnological company Caterra announced the development of a fully autonomous weeding robot called Grasshopper. This machine is able to destroy weeds using a laser without damaging the crops grown.

Grasshopper is equipped with an advanced artificial intelligence-based machine vision system. Deep learning algorithms make it possible to distinguish between crops and weeds in real time. Undesirable vegetation is destroyed by heating using laser pulses: in this case, the soil and nearby crops are not damaged.

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Фото: Caterra

The Grasshopper agricultural robot is made on a wheeled chassis and is equipped with an electric power plant. The charge of the battery pack is enough for 16-24 hours of operation - depending on the operating conditions. The machine weighs approximately 300 kg. In the process of processing crops, the speed of movement is 80 m/h. The robot is designed for continuous operation: it is able to function completely autonomously and safely even in the dark and in bad weather.

It is noted that producers growing agricultural vegetables can spend from 20% to 50% of their costs on manual weeding. The Grasshopper agricultural robot reduces the need for labor and eliminates dependence on chemical herbicides. The ability to operate around the clock improves the efficiency of land processing. The machine is suitable for killing weeds in fields with carrots, onions, chicory, fennel and spinach. In the future, it is planned to add the possibility of working with nine more cultures. According to Caterra, agricultural producers are showing significant interest in the new product: more than 70 farms intend to acquire Grasshopper.^[1]

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