LaserWeeder

[rcjordan]

this model has an average effective weeding capacity of two acres per hour.

Carbon Robotics Unveils New LaserWeeder with 30 Lasers to Autonomously Eradicate Weeds | Business Wire
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220207005189/en/

^{Welp, at 2 acres per hour it'll only take 3000 hours to weed my friend's farm.}

[Brad]

I never would have thought of using lasers for weed control.

[rcjordan]

>lasers

Me neither, but it makes sense. I have a propane 'weed torch' around here somewhere.

I can see this working well for the high-$$ organic crops.  But it needs to scale up by a couple of orders of magnitude to be useful around here.  IIRC, this company had an autonomous crawler version, pair that with a Mr. Fusion and just turn it loose in the fields. Then the number of hours won't matter 'cause it is just a robot, hhh.

[Drastic]

>Me neither, but it makes sense.

Except won't the weed grow right back with its roots being left behind? Maybe that works fine with ag cycles.

[rcjordan]

> grow right back

I don't think so.  The propane spot-weeding torches have a good record for long-term kill.  I *think* the heat kills the root.