WeedBot Pro's spot-spray mode detects individual weeds and applies targeted micro-doses. Same weed control. 90% less herbicide. 90% lower chemical cost. And you can use expensive alternative chemistry that blanket-spraying makes unaffordable.
Australian farmers spend over $2 billion per year on herbicides. Research shows 85% of that chemical lands on bare soil where there are no weeds.
Blanket spraying is the most wasteful practice in modern agriculture. A broadacre grower applying a pre-emergence knockdown at $40/hectare across 3,000 hectares spends $120,000 on herbicide — and research from the Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative shows that weed distribution in most paddocks is highly patchy. Typically, only 5-15% of the field surface has weed presence. The remaining 85-95% receives product for no benefit.
This waste costs three ways. First, the direct chemical cost — $25-45 per hectare of unnecessary product. Second, the environmental cost — herbicide that lands on bare soil enters waterways, degrades soil biology, and contributes to the reef runoff and contamination concerns driving regulatory pressure on Australian agriculture. Third, the resistance cost — every gram of herbicide applied to clean ground selects for resistance in the low-density weed populations scattered throughout the field.
Spot spraying eliminates all three costs. WeedBot's AI identifies each weed individually, and a precision nozzle array applies a micro-dose directly to the weed canopy. Bare soil between weeds receives zero product. The result is identical weed mortality at 5-15% of the chemical volume.
The game-changing application of spot spraying is unlocking alternative herbicides that are too expensive for blanket use. A new-generation Group 15 herbicide at $200/litre is prohibitive at blanket rates ($40-80/ha). But spot-sprayed, the same product costs $2-6/ha — suddenly affordable even for low-value broadacre crops. This gives growers access to new modes of action that resistant weeds have never encountered, delivered at rates that make economic sense.
From detection to treatment in 50 milliseconds.
High-resolution cameras scan the ground surface at 5-8 km/h. The AI classifies green vegetation in real-time, distinguishing weeds from crop (in-crop mode) or detecting any green tissue (fallow mode) with 98%+ accuracy.
Each nozzle in the spray array is independently controlled via PWM solenoid valves. Nozzles fire only when passing directly over a detected weed — producing a spray footprint of just 5-10cm diameter per target.
Spray volume is calibrated to cover only the individual weed canopy. A 10cm fleabane rosette receives approximately 0.05ml of product — compared to 1ml across the same area from a blanket application. Same concentration, 95% less volume.
WeedBot can carry two or three different herbicide tanks and select the optimal product for each weed species. Broadleaf weeds get one product, grass weeds get another. No wasting expensive Group A on a broadleaf target.
Every spray event is logged with GPS, species ID, product used, and dose applied. Complete spray records for APVMA compliance, chemical use auditing, and environmental reporting. Exportable to all major farm platforms.
WeedBot can spot-spray some weeds and mechanically remove others in the same pass. Use chemical on targets where it's effective, mechanical on resistant individuals. The optimal hybrid approach.
The economics at a 2,000 hectare scale.
| Factor | Blanket Spraying | WeedBot Spot Spray |
|---|---|---|
| Herbicide per hectare | 100 L/ha spray volume | 5-15 L/ha spray volume |
| Chemical cost per hectare | $30-50 | $2-8 |
| Annual cost (2,000 ha, 3 passes) | $180,000-300,000 | $12,000-48,000 |
| Environmental load | 100% of field receives chemical | 5-15% of field receives chemical |
| Resistance selection | Across entire field (maximum) | Only at weed locations (minimal) |
| Spray records | Whole-paddock application date only | GPS-tagged per-plant records |
| Alternative chemistry viable? | Only cheap products ($5-15/L) | Any product up to $300/L is viable |
In typical Australian broadacre conditions, 85-95% reduction. On a paddock that would normally receive 100 litres/ha via blanket application, spot spraying uses 5-15 litres/ha. At current prices, that translates to savings of $25-45 per hectare per application.
Yes. Expensive alternative herbicides that are cost-prohibitive for blanket application become economical when applied to individual plants. A $200/litre product that costs $40-80/ha blanket-sprayed costs just $2-6/ha via spot spray. This unlocks new chemistry options that resistant weeds have never encountered.
Tractor booms operate faster (15-20 km/h) but spray in 30-50cm zones, often including bare ground around a small weed. WeedBot targets individual weed canopies at 5-10cm diameter, achieving 2-3x more savings per hectare. WeedBot also operates 24/7 autonomously, while tractor systems require an operator.