TerraClear’s mission to help farmers map and tackle tough field problems such as rocks and weeds has evolved with the launch of a new machine: an autonomous robot called TerraScout.
The startup, based in Issaquah, Wash., and Grangeville, Idaho, says the device can collect ultra-high-resolution imagery across an entire field and convert the data into plans which can be executed by existing farm equipment, such as its rock picker or existing sprayers.
Founded in 2017 with the goal of simplifying the laborious task of removing large rocks from farmers’ fields, TerraClear has expanded into AI-powered identification and management of weeds using the same tech stack.
“TerraScout will scout entire fields in almost any condition and turn that intelligence into precise action for existing crews and equipment,” TerraClear CEO Devin Lammers said in a new release Thursday. “Today we focus that output on rock and weed management, but the future applications for this platform are vast. It is my firm belief that this technology will drive the next era of farm productivity gains.”
TerraClear says the robot can collect more than 4 billion image samples per acre and map over 1,000 acres per day at speeds of up to 15 mph. TerraScout can operate autonomously for up to six hours without refueling. Onboard technology turns massive image datasets into actionable maps in real-time.
TerraClear was founded by Brent Frei, the former CEO of Onyx Software and co-founder of Smartsheet. The initial focus was on its rock picker hardware, which can mount to a variety of machines and pick hundreds of rocks per hour, and its AI-powered mapping of fields where those rocks can cause expensive damage to machinery.
Lammers, a longtime leader in the agriculture technology industry, took over as CEO in August 2024.
The company, which employs about 50 people and has raised about $53 million to date, is not sharing revenue numbers, but is closing in on 1,000 customers.
Field trials for TerraScout began earlier this year and TerraClear said it will expand trials to existing retail partners and select farm customers this spring.
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