John Deere embraces robotic technology through acquisition of GUSS company
John Deere Acquires GUSS: Revolutionizing Precision Agriculture
John Deere, the renowned agricultural machinery manufacturer, has made a significant move by acquiring GUSS, the company behind the world's first and only fully electric autonomous herbicide orchard sprayer. This acquisition marks a continuation of John Deere's dedication to serving high-value crop customers with advanced, scalable technologies.
The GUSS electric sprayers feature the Smart Apply weed detection system, a groundbreaking technology that measures chlorophyll in the various plants it encounters. This system identifies weeds embedded among the crops and only sprays where weeds are detected, significantly reducing the amount of chemicals being sprayed onto farmers' crops. As a result, farmers can enjoy up to 90% savings in sprayed material.
The Smart Apply system is integrated into the autonomous sprayer technology developed by GUSS Automation, now fully acquired by John Deere. This technology enables the sprayer to operate for 10-12 continuous hours between overnight (L2) charges, thanks to the Kreisel Battery Pack 63 (KBP63).
The partnership between GUSS and John Deere aims to have an even greater impact in helping high-value crop growers increase their efficiency and productivity in their operations. Gary Thompson, COO of GUSS, stated that joining John Deere enables them to tap into their unmatched innovative capabilities in precision agriculture technologies.
With this acquisition, the GUSS business will retain its name, branding, employees, and independent manufacturing facility in Kingsburg, California. GUSS autonomous sprayers will be sold and serviced exclusively through John Deere dealers, aiming to bring GUSS' solutions to more growers around the world.
To date, more than 250 GUSS machines have been deployed globally, having sprayed over 2.6 million acres over 500,000 autonomous hours of operation. This partnership is poised to revolutionize the agricultural industry, offering farmers a more sustainable, efficient, and productive way to manage their crops.
John Deere's acquisition of GUSS is a testament to their commitment to innovation and sustainability in agriculture. As they continue to serve their customers with advanced technologies, we can expect to see more groundbreaking solutions in the future.
