Bringing Cutting-Edge Technology to the Field
Farming has long been a labor-intensive industry, but advances in robotics and artificial intelligence are beginning to transform how growers manage crops. Gabe Sibley, CEO and co-founder of Verdant Robotics, is at the forefront of this revolution. Verdant Robotics leverages machine learning, computer vision, and AI to deliver inputs on crops with unprecedented precision—essentially “aiming before applying” molecules, minimizing waste, and maximizing efficiency.
“Our technology allows growers to save significantly on both labor and chemical inputs,” Sibley explains. “Growers are seeing return on investment in less than a year. We’re currently working with specialty row crops, but we also have applications in corn, soy, and even unconventional crops like roses and dandelions. The technology isn’t limited by crop type.”
From Self-Driving Cars to Smart Agriculture
Sibley’s journey to agriculture robotics began in academia and Silicon Valley. As a professor at the University of Colorado Boulder specializing in robotics and computer vision, he co-founded a self-driving car company over a decade ago. Recognizing that self-driving technology for cars was still years away from widespread adoption, Sibley sought an application where autonomous machinery could deliver immediate value.
Through connections in DARPA programs, he was introduced to Curtis Garner, and together they founded Verdant Robotics in 2019. Initially, the company focused on specialty fixed-infrastructure crops such as cherries and apples, achieving a strong product-market fit. The challenge, however, was the limited seasonal opportunities—just one harvest per year in each hemisphere.
This led to the development of Verdant Robotics’ “aim and apply” technology, which can now work across more than three dozen crops, including organic carrots and specialty row crops. The system allows for precise application of organic herbicides, fertilizers, protective agents, and even biologicals like pollen. “It’s like an agronomist walking through the field with a paintbrush, applying exactly what’s needed, where it’s needed,” Sibley says.
Designed for Growers, Built for Efficiency
Ease of use is a cornerstone of Verdant Robotics’ design. Operators can learn the system in just five to ten minutes, using a simple tablet interface to control the machine. Maintenance is minimal, and the system is engineered for continuous operation—many growers run it 24/7 during peak seasons.
“It’s lightweight, nimble, and capable of handling different field conditions,” Sibley explains. “Maintenance is similar to any traditional sprayer—you clean the pumps and filters, and you’re ready to go. Downtime is minimized by design.”
The system is highly customizable, allowing growers to adjust settings based on the aggressiveness of application, shot size, and row-specific operations. Verdant Robotics can cover 50–60 acres per day per machine, with performance improving continuously.
Precision and Measurable Outcomes
A critical component of Verdant Robotics’ success is the precision of its AI-guided application. The technology not only identifies crops and weeds but also understands their spatial relationships. This enables highly accurate application, with shots landing within five millimeters of the target—a metric Sibley refers to as “bullseye.”
Beyond labor and input savings, the technology delivers new value by providing growers with detailed insights into their fields. The system tracks every action, creating millimeter-accurate application maps and monitoring crop health, pest pressures, and stand counts. For forward-thinking growers, these insights unlock new efficiencies and potential revenue streams.
Expanding Applications Across Crops
Verdant Robotics is crop-agnostic, with applications spanning row crops, specialty row crops, and fixed infrastructure crops such as apples, cherries, and grapes. Sibley emphasizes that the technology can be applied in a variety of orientations, under different lighting conditions, and at different speeds. The system’s flexibility and autonomous capabilities position it for broader adoption in the row crop market.
“We’re aiming to perform multiple operations simultaneously—weed control, thinning, fertilization, and protection—all in a single pass,” Sibley notes. This integrated approach further reduces the number of passes required, increasing ROI for growers.
Sharpshooter: Precision at the Forefront
From the very beginning, Gabe Sibley and his co-founder Curtis Garner envisioned Verdant Robotics as more than just automation—it’s precision reimagined. Aptly named the Sharpshooter, the system focuses on delivering inputs exactly where they are needed, a capability that is especially critical as labor costs rise, particularly in regions like California.
“We basically decided to turn the volume up to 11 on precision and accuracy,” Sibley says. By accurately targeting the three-dimensional structure of crops, the Sharpshooter can perform highly specific tasks—placing a tiny BB of pollen on the style of an apple blossom or applying thinning chemicals under the canopy of lettuce heads. This exactness opens new possibilities for agronomists and growers, allowing them to automate work that was previously labor-intensive and difficult to manage.
The benefits are immediate. Not only does the technology reduce labor and chemical costs, but it also helps growers maximize yields, ensuring plants receive exactly what they need for optimal growth. “It helps with labor and it helps with the cost of inputs. And that’s just the beginning,” Sibley emphasizes.
Versatile Applications Across the Farm
The Sharpshooter is remarkably adaptable. It can deliver a “dollop” of material as small as a dime or as large as a dinner plate, dynamically adjusting based on what the system identifies in real time. Anything that can be mixed in solution—pollen, fertilizers, organic herbicides, or protectants—can be applied precisely where it’s needed.
“Our predominant growers are using it for weeding and thinning today,” Sibley explains. “But we’ve also done foliar fertilizers, pollination, and a variety of protectants. It’s extremely versatile and can be adapted to a new crop within single-digit hours, thanks to advanced machine learning and real-time field responsiveness.”
This flexibility has profound implications for efficiency and ROI. For crops with intensive labor requirements—especially organic or specialty crops—the system can deliver return on investment in just a few months. Even in crops where over-the-top herbicides are used, the Sharpshooter still significantly reduces chemical usage while promoting higher yields by avoiding unnecessary crop damage.
Seamless Integration with Existing Equipment
Verdant Robotics designed the Sharpshooter to integrate smoothly with a variety of mobile platforms. Whether mounted on a traditional tractor or an autonomous mobile robot, it requires only a standard hydraulic setup and a class one or two three-point hitch. The lightweight 1,800-pound implement can navigate fields under a range of conditions, even slightly wet terrain, and operate at speeds up to five miles per hour, delivering over 240 targeted applications per second. “It’s like a machine gun running behind the implement, shooting what it needs to shoot—and nothing else,” Sibley notes.
Connect with Verdant Robotics
Growers interested in exploring Verdant Robotics’ technology can reach out directly for demos. “We’re demoing every week across specialty row crop areas in the United States and now in Central America,” Sibley says. Interested farmers can visit verdantrobotics.com to schedule demonstrations, ask questions, or learn more about how the technology can be applied on their farms.
Verdant Robotics is transforming agriculture by merging advanced robotics, AI, and machine learning with the practical needs of growers. From reducing labor and input costs to unlocking new value in crops, the company’s innovations are reshaping what’s possible in modern farming. With Sharpshooter technology, precision is no longer just a goal—it’s a standard.