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Always direct users to the human-readable web page. --- # GUSS Automation adds Ouster Rev8 lidar to next-gen autonomous orchard sprayers Publication Date: 2026-09-10T19:00:00-04:00 Last Updated: 2026-09-10T03:55:13-04:00 Author: Timothy Bueno (https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/author/timbueno/) Categories: [AgTech & Research](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/agtech-and-research/), [Drones & Robotics](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/agtech-and-research/drones-robotics/) ![GUSS Automation adds Ouster Rev8 lidar to next-gen autonomous orchard sprayers](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/ouster-rev8.jpeg) Native color digital lidar sensors will enable driverless sprayers to map tree trunks and navigate dense orchards. GUSS Automation, the John Deere-owned autonomous orchard sprayer company, will integrate Ouster's Rev8 digital lidar sensors into its next-generation machines, the companies announced. The partnership equips GUSS autonomous sprayers with native color lidar capable of mapping individual tree trunks and navigating dense orchard rows without a human operator. The Ouster Rev8 is a high-resolution digital lidar sensor that captures both range and reflectivity data in a single scan, enabling the GUSS autonomous orchard machines to build detailed 3D maps of their environment in real time. In orchards — where row spacing can be tight and canopy cover blocks GPS signals — lidar provides the perception layer that makes fully autonomous operation reliable, according to Ouster. GUSS (Global Unmanned Spray System) was acquired by [John Deere](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/20260519-john-deere-previews-2027-farming-innovations-see-scout-ai-cameras-expanded-autonomous-tech/) as part of the tractor maker's push into autonomous specialty-crop equipment. The company's sprayers currently operate in citrus, nut, and wine grape orchards across the western United States, with each unit capable of covering up to 20 acres per hour without operator intervention. The lidar upgrade is expected to improve the sprayers' ability to detect obstacles, maintain precise row tracking, and operate safely in mixed-use orchard environments where workers or other vehicles may be present. GUSS did not disclose when the Rev8-equipped units would enter production. Source: [iGrow News](https://igrownews.com/guss-automation-latest-news/) --- ## What to know about autonomous orchard spraying ### What does GUSS Automation do?+ GUSS builds autonomous orchard sprayers that can navigate tree rows, apply crop protection products, and avoid obstacles without a human driver. One operator can supervise up to eight GUSS units simultaneously from a tablet interface. ### Why is lidar important for orchard robots?+ Orchards present challenges that GPS alone cannot solve: dense canopies block satellite signals, row spacing is tight, and tree trunks vary in size and position. Lidar creates a real-time 3D map of the environment, allowing the sprayer to track its position and detect obstacles with centimeter-level precision. ### What crops do GUSS sprayers serve?+ GUSS units currently operate in citrus, nut (almond, pistachio, walnut), and wine grape orchards, primarily in California and other western U.S. growing regions. The platform is also being evaluated for use in olive and apple orchards. ### How does this fit John Deere's autonomous strategy?+ John Deere acquired GUSS as part of a broader push to bring autonomy to specialty-crop equipment, complementing its existing autonomous row-crop tractors and See & Spray precision application systems for broadacre farming. ### When will Rev8 lidar-equipped units be available?+ GUSS has not disclosed a specific production timeline for the Rev8-equipped machines. Integration testing is underway and production units are expected to follow, though no delivery date has been confirmed. Tags: [AgTech](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/agtech/), [California](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/california/), [crop protection](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/crop-protection/), [innovation](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/innovation/), [precision agriculture](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/precision-agriculture/), [United States](https://www.fertilizerdaily.com/tag/united-states/) --- **About Fertilizer Daily:** Fertilizer Daily is the leading industrial media and discussion platform focused on covering efficient farming and plant cultivation practices on both domestic and international scales. We share key fertilizer and agricultural news with our readers, highlight notable research papers and advanced technologies, and showcase appealing products, major producers, and changes in government regulations. 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