AX-1 vs Maverick
Two weeding machines, one verified table. Every figure below is sourced and dated; vendor claims are labelled and kept apart from independent results.
Norwegian ultra-precision weeding robot for open-field vegetables — an AI vision system detects individual weeds and a patented Single-Drop nozzle (SDT) fires one micro-droplet of herbicide directly onto each weed at 6x6mm resolution, cutting herbicide input by a manufacturer-claimed average of 96.6%. Independently tested by Wageningen University & Research at over 99% spray-drift reduction (Dutch DRT99, the system's highest class), and commercially deployed since 2021 across Norway, Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands and Australia, with a 2025 Kubota partnership now expanding EU dealer-network sales.
Best for: Open-field vegetable and root-crop growers (carrots, onions, beets, celery/celeriac, spinach, salads, parsley and similar) in Norway and neighbouring EU markets who still spray herbicide and want to sharply cut volume and drift without switching to purely mechanical or laser weeding.Lightweight (500 kg) autonomous mechanical in-row weeding robot from Rotterdam-based Odd.Bot — the "Weader" delta-arm module pulls weeds with 2 mm precision at up to 2 weeds/second (240,000+ weeds/ha/day), running day and night on hot-swappable batteries at ~500 W total draw. Built for fine vegetable crops: carrots, onions, parsnips, red beet, chicory. Production slots sell out roughly a year ahead.
Best for: Organic and low-input vegetable growers with high in-row weed pressure in carrots, onions and similar fine-seeded crops who want to replace hand-weeding crews.| AX-1 Verified 2026-07-18 | Maverick Verified 2026-07-16 | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Task | Weeding | Weeding |
| Autonomy | Fully autonomous | Fully autonomous |
| Country of origin | Norway | Netherlands |
| Availability | Available now | Available now |
| EU market | Pending | CE-marked |
| Lead time | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Last verified | 2026-07-18 | 2026-07-16 |
| Specifications | ||
| Power source | Electric drive with a small onboard petrol generator (per GOFAR robotics database; not itemized on the manufacturer's own site) | Battery-electric — ~500 W total system draw; 1–3 hot-swappable battery modules for 24/7 operation |
| Required tractor power | Not required (self-propelled autonomous unit) | Is the vehicle (autonomous lightweight carrier + Weader module) |
| Dimensions | Approx. 220 x 215 x 150 cm (third-party listing; not published by Kilter) | 205 × 155 × 170 cm (L × W × H); working width adjustable 150–225 cm |
| Weight | 280 kg dry / 365 kg wet (GOFAR database; distributed to minimise soil compaction) | 500 kg (Weader module 20 kg) |
| Min farm size | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Productivity | Not disclosed — third-party estimates conflict (0.33-1 ha/hr) and Kilter does not publish a figure | 1–12 ha/day per Weader module depending on weed pressure; 240,000+ weeds removed per ha per day |
| Max speed | Up to 2 km/h (third-party listing; not published by Kilter) | Not disclosed |
| Sensors | AI vision with a deep-learning neural network for real-time weed/crop detection at 6x6mm targeting resolution; RTK-GNSS (dual-antenna) and IMU for autonomous navigation (third-party listing) | AI plant detection · 3D depth recognition · visual odometry navigation |
| Price & model | ||
| Price (EUR) | ≈€130,000 | from €106,950 |
| Native price | ≈€130,000 (third-party: Future Farming robot database — Kilter quotes individually) | from €106,950 excl. VAT — includes delivery, training and software access |
| Business model | Buy — direct from Kilter AS (Langhus, Norway) via a consultative sales process (farm details submitted for a quote; no public price list), or through regional distributors such as Croplands (Australia). A Kubota partnership (announced at Agritechnica 2025) is expanding dealer-network sales in Germany and the Netherlands through 2025-2026. | One-time purchase direct from Odd.Bot; dealer network building out in NL/FR/BE |
| Ongoing cost | Herbicide/bio-herbicide refills (any crop-registered agrochemical usable in a boom sprayer, e.g. pelargonic acid); Single-Drop nozzle module (SDT-N2) wear parts. Specific service cost figures not disclosed. | Software access included at purchase; battery cycling; wear parts on Weader gripper |
| Key outcome | ||
| Best verified result | Spray drift vs. a conventional reference sprayer More than 99% spray-drift reduction — qualifies for DRT99, the highest class in the Dutch drift-reduction classification system · independent | Herbicide use Herbicide-free mechanical single-weed removal · vendor |
| EU context | ||
| CE marking | No explicit CE-marking statement found on Kilter's public materials; the AX-1 is sold and in active commercial/pilot use in EU member states (Sweden, Germany, Netherlands) and passed independent Dutch DRT99 spray-drift certification (WUR/TCT) | CE marked — series product sold and operating in NL, FR and BE |
| Machinery Regulation | Not explicitly addressed by the manufacturer; as an autonomous field-spraying machine placed on EU markets, would fall under the autonomous-machine provisions of Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 if formally assessed | EU-built series product; conformity maintained under the EU machinery regime |
| CAP subsidy | Precision spot-application (manufacturer-claimed ~95-96.6% herbicide reduction) supports CAP eco-scheme and integrated-pest-management / pesticide-reduction objectives | Herbicide-free precision weeding supports CAP eco-scheme and organic conversion goals |
"—" 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.