Aigro UP vs CLAWS
Two weeding machines, one verified table. Every figure below is sourced and dated; vendor claims are labelled and kept apart from independent results.
Compact Dutch autonomous robot for orchards, vineyards and tree nurseries — mows, hoes and harrows between and under tree rows. Camera-based row recognition does the in-row navigation (GPS only switches rows/fields), so it keeps working under thick foliage where GNSS robots struggle. Swappable dual 48V batteries change over in about a minute for near-continuous operation; commercial rollout in the Netherlands runs through importer Mechan.
Best for: Fruit growers and tree nurseries in the Benelux wanting a light, affordable (~€45k) electric robot for continuous mowing and mechanical weed control under canopy.Concentrated Light Autonomous Weeding and Scouting (CLAWS) robot from UK startup Earth Rover — its patented Lightweeder destroys the meristem of individual weeds with a short pulse of concentrated (non-laser) light, chemical-free and zero-till, on a 100% battery + solar platform with 8 onboard cameras that double as a crop-scouting system. Order book opened Q3 2025; deliveries scheduled from Q1 2026 under a weeding-as-a-service model.
Best for: Organic and chemical-free vegetable and row-crop growers (UK first) who want herbicide-free, zero-till weed control plus per-plant scouting data, paid per hectare rather than as capex.| Aigro UP Verified 2026-07-16 | CLAWS Verified 2026-07-17 | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Task | Weeding | Weeding |
| Autonomy | Fully autonomous | Fully autonomous |
| Country of origin | Netherlands | United Kingdom |
| Availability | Available now | Pre-order |
| EU market | CE-marked | Pending |
| Lead time | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Last verified | 2026-07-16 | 2026-07-17 |
| Specifications | ||
| Power source | Battery-electric · dual swappable 48 V Li-ion packs, ~1-minute changeover | 100% electric — battery + solar; battery alone runs roughly half a day, solar panels extend to a full day |
| Required tractor power | Not required (self-propelled) | Is the vehicle (lightweight autonomous platform, no tractor needed) |
| Dimensions | 55 cm wide (2WD and 4WD) or 75 cm wide (4WD) chassis | ~2 m working width; other dimensions not disclosed |
| Weight | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Min farm size | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Productivity | Up to 24 h/day operation with battery rotation | ~1.5 ha per 8 h day demonstrated; ~4 ha/day targeted for the commercial fully autonomous machine, weed burden depending |
| Max speed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Sensors | AI camera row recognition for in-row navigation · GPS for row/field switching · app monitoring with remote takeover on alerts | 8 onboard cameras (stereo imaging) · AI per-plant identification · satellite navigation · FIELD digital-twin scouting software |
| Price & model | ||
| Price (EUR) | €45,000 | Not disclosed |
| Native price | €45,000 | Not disclosed |
| Business model | Buy; commercial rollout via importer Mechan (Achterveld, NL) | Weeding as a service, charged per hectare — positioned at parity with tractor-based weeding and below manual weeding cost |
| Ongoing cost | Battery packs and wear parts; support via Aigro/Mechan | Service-model pricing per hectare; no published machine list price |
| Key outcome | ||
| Best verified result | Mowing/weeding labour in orchard rows Unattended autonomous operation up to 24 h/day with battery swaps · vendor | Herbicide use Chemical-free concentrated-light weeding, zero-till; controls ALS-resistant weeds (Niab-tested, vendor-reported) · vendor |
| EU context | ||
| CE marking | CE marked for the EU market (sold commercially in NL) | Not verified — pre-series Beta Pioneer machine, UK-focused rollout |
| Machinery Regulation | Placed on the EU market by Aigro B.V.; autonomous-machine provisions of Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 apply | Post-Brexit UK machine; EU conformity route not published |
| CAP subsidy | Mechanical weed control supports eco-scheme / herbicide-reduction measures under CAP | Chemical-free zero-till weeding aligns with CAP eco-scheme goals, but no EU sales channel is evidenced yet |
"—" means the manufacturer has not disclosed the figure; we never estimate silently. Model either machine's payback with your own numbers on its ROI calculator page.