LOS GATOS, CA - As automation continues to make its way into specialty crop production, California-based Beagle Technology is taking a different approach to agricultural robotics by upgrading equipment growers already have in the field.

The startup’s See and Cut system uses cameras and artificial intelligence to identify crops and determine where to make a cut in real time. Hydraulic cutters then carry out the task as the tractor moves through the field at normal operating speeds.

Rather than requiring growers to invest in a purpose-built autonomous machine, the technology is designed to integrate with existing tractors and equipment. Beagle Technology says the approach can reduce manual labor costs by at least 50 percent while bringing greater automation to labor-intensive field tasks.

 

 

 

 

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The system has been demonstrated in crops including grapes and lettuce, where identifying the correct cutting point requires the technology to continuously interpret what it sees and respond as equipment moves through the field.

The company recently raised $8.2 million to scale its technology as it looks to bring the system to more agricultural operations.

Want to see the technology at work? Watch Beagle Technology’s See and Cut system in action on Instagram.