Two British companies have developed a spot sprayer

The spot sprayer developed by the British companies Techneat Engineering and Tillet en Hague underwent extensive testing in the past year in the United Kingdom. The Weedwizard spot sprayer is now available there. - Photo: Techneat

Two British companies, Techneat Engineering and Tillet en Hague, have developed a spot sprayer for onions, leeks, and carrots. The Weedwizard spot sprayer was first showcased at the agricultural fair Lamma last January in Birmingham.

The Weedwizard spot sprayer is the result of a three-year collaboration between Techneat Engineering and software specialist Tillet and Hague. Tillet en Hague is particularly known for supplying cameras on hoeing machines.

High-definition cameras on boom

The spot sprayer utilizes three high-definition cameras mounted on a 6-meter-wide boom. The cameras capture images that are analyzed in milliseconds by a built-in processor.

The algorithms recognize various types of weeds based on their size, shape, and color. Additionally, they determine the position of the weeds in relation to the crop rows.

Resource savings

The spot sprayer can be used until crop closure, up to a height of 25 to 30 cm. According to Techneat Engineering, the spot sprayer contributes to reduced stress for plants and lower use of substances. Tillet en Hague’s cameras detect the weeds and apply a microdose of substance to the plant. The dose is only 2% of what is customary with a field sprayer. Importantly, the Weedwizard spot sprayer does not utilize artificial intelligence (AI).

Working width

The machine has a maximum working width of 6 meters, with a spray nozzle every 10 cm. This means there are 60 spray nozzles on a 6-meter-wide spot sprayer. The Weedwizard spot sprayer underwent extensive testing in the past year and is now available in the UK.