Autonomous Robots are Coming to Farms in the U.S.

Solinftec, a startup that makes self-driving farming robots, has doubled its global production capacity due to a shortage of agricultural workers making robots and drones more attractive.

The company recently announced partnerships with three American cooperatives: Co-Alliance, Carroll Service Co., and Premier Ag., and after expanding its factory in Indiana, the company, supported by the Trajano family billionaire, can now manufacture up to 800 robots annually in the United States, matching its existing capacity in Brazil.

According to CEO Britaldo Hernandez, this year, the U.S. corn belt has just 20 of the company’s robots in operation, a number that will double next year and could reach 250 by 2025.

Solinftec’s solar-powered robots use AI to analyze crops and weather conditions, then apply weed killer and pesticides only where necessary, reducing herbicide use by over 95%. This precision agriculture not only supports farm profitability and the environment but can also help reduce costs in the tight U.S. labor market.