Carbon Robotics unveils new LaserWeeder model

Seattle-based Carbon Robotics announced on Monday that it has launched the Track LaserWeeder, a new model of laser weeding robot, and two software enhancements: spatial data intelligence in the Carbon Ops Center and multi-language support in the iPad operator app. The company said that the new offering will not only help to address the diverse needs of farmers in different regions, but furnish them with actionable farm data that will enable them to streamline their operations.

Carbon Robotics’ founder and CEO, Paul Mikesell, commented that “We are excited to introduce the new Track LaserWeeder unit and software upgrades that will further improve the efficiency and capabilities of our industry-leading LaserWeeder for growers. Our customers laser weeded for more than 50,000 total hours last year across more than 100 different crops, capturing major savings in weed control costs and reporting substantial increases in crop yield and quality.”

The company, which has raised $80mn since its founding in 2018, said that its new Track LaserWeeder’s custom track system was designed to allow the LaserWeeder to work on a greater number of soil types, including muck soil. It explained that by equally distributing the robot’s weight, the tracks minimize compaction and allow the machine to enter fields earlier in the season despite challenging conditions. Carbon Robotics said that the first Track LaserWeeders are ready and scheduled for delivery beginning in March 2024.

It also stated that the new spatial data intelligence feature will be available to all LaserWeeder customers. It said the update allows growers to access field, crop, and weed metrics – including stand count, density, type, average size and distribution – thereby providing them with quantitative crop stand counts soon after planting and well before harvest.