John Deere and GUSS Automation yesterday showed off Electric GUSS, an automated herbicide sprayer, at the World Ag Expo in Tulare, Calif. The companies claimed that the fully electric and autonomous crop sprayer is the first of its kind and that it builds on the success of the self-driving Global Unmanned Spray System released last year.
“This launch with GUSS Automation reaffirms our commitment to helping high-value crop growers meet their needs through innovative solutions like electrification and autonomy,” said Sean Sundberg, a business integration manager at John Deere. “The all-new electric GUSS will provide farmers with reliable and powerful performance, with added benefits to help increase productivity and profitability.”
Bob and Dave Crinklaw founded Crinklaw Farm Services (CFS) in 1982, spraying an average of 40 acres per day in central San Juaquin Valley. CFS now sprays up to 5,000 acres a day during peak season, and it began building uncrewed sprayers in 2014. GUSS Automation launched in 2019, and the company said it allows agricultural businesses to reskill workers to use sophisticated technology and prepare for the future economy.
Weed-recognition system reduces waste
GUSS Automation said its system lets growers handle multiple sprayers from afar. The Kingsburg, Calif.-based company added that the smart sprayer can boost output, reduce reliance on scarce labor, and help farms reach their sustainability goals by reducing emissions and improving the accuracy of herbicide application.
The machine has a weed-recognition system that looks for green in weeds and only sprays where it finds them. Depending on the amount of weed pressure, the technology can cut the total amount of chemicals used by up to 90%, said GUSS Automation.
This can result in lower costs and a more environmentally-friendly process, the company claimed. The autonomous system can also keep workers a safe distance from the application area, it said.
GUSS goes electric in response to requests
“We have been asked countless times about making GUSS electric,” said Gary Thompson, chief operating officer at GUSS Automation. “An electric herbicide sprayer made the most sense to us, given that the battery life can last an entire shift while performing this critical orchard task. Combining the battery’s electric benefits of low operating costs and zero tailpipe emissions with spot-spraying weed-detection technology makes Electric GUSS a winner.”
Kriesel batteries power the Electric GUSS and let it run and spray for a full shift when fully charged. A single worker can supervise up to eight machines from the safety of their car using a laptop computer and a mix of GPS, lidar, and GUSS’s special technology for accurate coverage.
The GUSS electric sprayer also includes autonomy and safety features. For example, it can detect when a person is nearby and automatically stop spraying.
The sprayer measures 23 ft., 6 in. (7.1 m) long and 6 ft., 4 in. (1.9 m) tall, and it has an operational width of 8 ft. 4 in. to 19 ft. (2.5 to 5.7 m) wide. The hydraulic-controlled height-adjustable spray booms accommodate 18-to-22-in. (45.7 to 55.8 cm) row spacing that can be tilted upward for berm spraying.
GUSS Automation said its design also incorporates breakaway booms to help prevent damage to trees and crops during operator use.
Weed recognition plus Smart Apply equals greater accuracy
Deere & Co. has been working with partners to develop autonomous tractors, and it entered a joint venture with GUSS Automation in 2022. Sarah Schinckel, director of emerging technologies at John Deere, delivered a keynote on agricultural robotics at RoboBusiness last year.
In addition, the diesel-powered Orchard GUSS and mini GUSS autonomous blast sprayers now have an option to add the Smart Apply Intelligent Spray Control System. Acquired by John Deere in 2023, Smart Apply delivers precise application data and analytics, and it can elevate the performance of blast sprayers, the companies said.
The system can sense the presence of individual trees and vines and automatically adjust spray volume based on tree size and foliage density, said Deere and GUSS. As a result, Smart Apply can help optimize protection and avoid over-spraying, resulting in up to 50% chemical and water savings on average, they said.
The pairing of Smart Apply with GUSS offers farmers the efficiency of an automated blast sprayer plus the accuracy and ease of an intelligent application system, according to the companies.
“It’s the best of both worlds,” said Greg Christensen, John Deere go-to-market manager. “The labor-optimization benefits of GUSS, now combined with the input-optimization benefits of Smart Apply, will be available both as a factory installed option and as a Precision Upgrade for existing Orchard and mini GUSS machines.”
Electric GUSS will soon be available for ordering at select John Deere dealer locations across North America and Australia.
