Pilot Case 2
Robotic spraying of weeds in potato and volunteer potatoes in Denmark & Switzerland
Location: Commercial farms in Denmark & Switzerland
Overview
Pilot Case 2 targets the precision application of weeding agents in open-field potato cultivation, including the management of “volunteer potatoes.” The pilot advances plant-level AI for accurate robotic spraying in Nordic climates, leveraging the commercially available ARA spot sprayers. These machines are already active across Europe, covering over 30,000 hectares.
Timeline
The pilot begins with large-scale image collection and farmer enrolment for data-driven algorithm training. Midway through the project, refined AI models will be deployed on ARA sprayers in commercial farms. Continuous improvements and validation pave the way for widespread demonstrations and replication.
Validation
DTI will compare robotic spraying outcomes with conventional methods using drone-acquired imagery and AI-based analysis. These insights will be cross-referenced with manual weed counts to evaluate precision, coverage, and efficiency.
AR Integration
AR tools will display live application and weed distribution maps to operators. Training simulations will prepare users to operate the sprayers under various crop and climate conditions, enhancing control and confidence in-field.
