For Gert Sterenborg and his family, staying ahead in modern agriculture means embracing innovation. Running an arable farm in Onstwedde, Groningen, the Netherlands, they were searching for a solution to improve their chicory cultivation. That’s when they discovered FarmDroid FD20 at Agritechnica in Hannover—an autonomous farm robot that promised precision seeding, weeding, and micro-spraying.
Gert and his parents chose FarmDroid because they saw it as the most advanced robotic technology in agriculture.
“FarmDroid sows and hoes autonomously with incredible precision. It operates entirely based on GPS and knows exactly where the seeds are and where the plants will grow. Even before it’s possible to distinguish between weeds and plants, it can start hoeing. A camera-based system cannot do this, as it cannot distinguish between plants and weeds at that stage. That’s a major advantage of FarmDroid’s system.” – Gert Sterenborg
While FarmDroid is a game-changer for organic farming, Gert has found it equally valuable for conventional farming, thanks to the +Spray micro-spraying system. For example, when certain weeds become uncontrollable, +Spray allows for targeted chemical application as a last resort.
+Spray is easy to use. You fill one tank with clean water and another with water mixed with a double-concentrated spray product. The robot automatically mixes them in the correct proportions. The clean water tank also allows the robot to flush the system when idle or after completing its spraying tasks, ensuring everything is thoroughly rinsed and cleaned.
Gert first used +Spray during sowing, applying a soil herbicide precisely on the seed line to suppress early weed growth. This was crucial for his chicory, making subsequent hoeing more effective and minimizing the struggle with larger weeds. Later in the season, he used +Spray again for spot spraying, precisely targeting areas where traditional hoes couldn’t reach.
Beyond weed control, FarmDroid +Spray also supports fungal control. Gert has used +Spray for fungal control for his chicory field, applying treatments only where needed, significantly reducing chemical use.
In 2024, Gert used FarmDroid FD20 on 17 hectares of chicory and plans to do the same in 2025, optimizing its use even further. For Gert, investing in FarmDroid FD20 was not just about automation, it was about long-term savings. With reduced chemical use, lower contract work costs, and a sustainability bonus, he expects the robot to pay for itself within five years.
For Gert and his family, FarmDroid FD20 has transformed their approach to chicory cultivation. With less spraying, more precise hoeing, and higher yields, they’re not just cutting costs, they’re growing smarter.
