Louwrens Erasmus is the founder and editor of Field Circuit. He writes about the technology, infrastructure, operations and economics behind modern agriculture.
Agriculture
Carbon Robotics has pushed its LaserWeeder to a second generation, but the commercial case depends on whether its perception-and-actuation loop holds up under dust, heat and low light in real field conditions.
Business & Funding
TRIC Robotics has expanded its autonomous UV-C pest-control service to more than 1,500 commercial strawberry acres in California with a 15-robot fleet. The expansion is a commercial data point for non-chemical pest control; no third-party efficacy data or South African availability is confirmed.
Agriculture
The deal, announced 26 August, pairs CropX's soil and agronomy software with SCIO's portable NIR sensors. Whether the combined system holds calibration for local crops and seasons is unproven.
Connectivity & RF
ICASA's draft amendments to the spectrum and fee regulations determine how legally a South African farm can run a satellite link for telemetry and precision-agriculture data where terrestrial coverage does not reach.