Objectives of the service
Paltech’s service addresses these issues by eliminating the need for manual labor through a completely herbicide-free, mechanical extraction process. Utilizing space technology, the robotic fleet efficiently scours fields, targeting and removing weeds one by one.
The main problems of the users are related to the negative impact of dock (Rumex) on milk production. In addition, by adopting organic methods of maintenance, strenuous and time-consuming manual extraction processes are incurred, which consume large amounts of time and cause physical pain.
This project aims to validate the accuracy and efficiency of the GNSS-enhanced robotic weed detection and removal system, assess user satisfaction with the service—focusing on ease of use and reliability—and evaluate the environmental benefits of reduced herbicide use.
Users and their needs
The primary customers are organic german farmers, both dairy and horse farms, managing permanent grassland in Germany with nearly 85% of organic farmers managing grassland facing issues with dockweed.
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Resource-Efficient Solutions: Farmers need organic weed control methods that are less resource-intensive in terms of water and energy usage.
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Yield Optimization: Farmers need effective strategies to minimize the negative impact of Dock on yield to maintain or enhance milk production.
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Livestock Safety: Farmers need reliable methods to prevent livestock from consuming Autumn crocus to avoid potential fatalities.
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Efficient Weed Control: Farmers need less strenuous and time-consuming weed control methods to reduce physical strain and back pain.
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Herbicide-Free Options: Farmers need effective, non-herbicidal weed management solutions to comply with organic farming regulations and maintain subsidies, such as Bavaria’s €273/ha.
Service/ system concept
The service starts with three robots, which are brought to the field and unloaded. Each robot drives across the field to scan for weeds within its working width (stage 1). Weeds that fall outside this area are detected and memorized. After completing this initial sweep and weed control, a path-planning step is performed, enabling the robots to navigate directly to the remaining weeds (stage 2). Once a robot has reached the right spot, it positions itself over the plant and removes it. It then sows grass seeds to restore the turf and ensure sustainable control. Paltech adopts a Robots as a Service (RaaS) model, forging partnerships with contractors to address logistical challenges.
Space Added Value
Satellite-based positioning systems, particularly GNSS and RTK, significantly enhance this herbicide-free weed control solution. RTK provides the centimetre-level accuracy required to precisely localize weeds during the initial field sweep (Stage 1), ensuring that each detected plant is recorded with high positional fidelity. During the subsequent extraction phase (Stage 2), the robots rely on the same RTK-enhanced positioning to navigate back to each weed reliably, even in large or visually homogeneous fields. This precision also enables accurate multi-year tracking of weed populations, providing transparency that traditional methods cannot achieve. In addition, precise localisation supports path optimisation, reduces operational time and labour costs, minimises equipment wear, and enables faster and more efficient weed control.
Current Status
The pilot activities have been completed successfully. The contractor-operated fleet was deployed under real conditions, and the full service workflow was validated. Based on pilot feedback, the system has undergone a mechanical and software redesign to prepare the 2026 commercial deployment in the Allgäu region.
Prime Contractor(s)
