GUSS Orchard & Vineyard Sprayers by John Deere: status and timeline

GUSS Orchard & Vineyard Sprayers

Autonomous sprayers for orchards and vineyards that navigate GPS-guided paths and spray based on need, reducing chemical use. A single operator can supervise up to eight machines from a pickup truck.

ScalingStage 5 of 5

250+ machines deployed globally; 2.6M acres, 500k+ hours. Acquired by Deere Aug 2025.

Updated 27 Aug 2025Checked 10 Oct0 updates this week

Milestones

Next · Global deployment expansion beyond North America and Europe

GUSS founded2018Complete.
Joint venture between John Deere and GUSS establishedApr 2022Complete.
Electric GUSS model with Kreisel battery pack unveiled2024Complete.
John Deere acquires 100% of GUSS27 Aug 2025Complete.
Global deployment expansion beyond North America and EuropeTarget 2026Current milestone.

Most important updates

Upcoming

2026Global deployment expansion beyond North America and Europe (next)
2026Integration with John Deere dealer network
2026Brazil expansion in orange, coffee and grape

Current obstacles

Terrain variation in orchardsGPS accuracy and navigation must handle steep slopes, trees and irrigation lines while maintaining safety around workers and animals.
Crop-weed similarity in some vineyardsDetecting weeds among dense grapevines and other dense crops remains challenging, requiring manual override capability.

Physics limits

GPS accuracy limits autonomous operationEven high-precision GPS drifts over time and in tree canopy. Centimetre-level accuracy for fine navigation requires additional sensors like LiDAR or RTK corrections.
Chemical drift limits spray precisionEven with single-nozzle control, spray droplets drift in wind, spreading herbicide beyond the intended weed and risking adjacent crops.
Energy density limits runtimeThe electric GUSS battery (63 kWh) provides 10-12 hours of operation; heavier payloads or rougher terrain reduce this. Diesel models have longer runtime but produce emissions.

How it works

3 parts

Navigate

GPS-guided paths

GUSS follows GPS routes set up in a few hours, with 4WD and 4-wheel steering for terrain.

Sense

Smart Apply detection

Sensors measure leaf chlorophyll to distinguish weeds from crops, reducing unnecessary spraying by up to 90% compared to blanket application.

Supervise

One operator, multiple machines

A single employee monitors up to eight sprayers from a pickup truck using a laptop, handling any stops or emergencies remotely.

Spec sheet

Spec	GUSS Orchard & Vineyard Sprayers
Spray tank capacity	600 gallons^R (reported)
Orchard GUSS length	24 ft^R (reported)
Orchard GUSS height	6 ft 4 in^R (reported)
Empty weight	11,660 lbs^R (reported)
Machines per operator	Up to 8^R (reported)
Machines deployed globally	250+^R (reported)
Total acres sprayed	2.6M+^R (reported)
Autonomous operating hours	500k+^R (reported)

^R reported by the company

Update log

3 updates

About John Deere

The team behind GUSS Orchard & Vineyard Sprayers

John Deere

Autonomous tractors, See & Spray, precision ag

The world's largest farm equipment maker. By buying startups such as Blue River and Bear Flag Robotics, it leads in camera-guided spraying and self-driving tractor kits, aiming for fully autonomous corn and soybean farming by 2030.

Showed a self-driving 8R tractor at CES 2022 and a 16-camera second-gen kit at CES 2025.
See & Spray sprays only the weeds; Deere reported 59% less herbicide on average in 2024.
Second-gen kits go from limited use in 2025 to full release in 2026.

deere.com (opens deere.com)Company profile →

Founded: 1837189 yrs
Headquarters: United States
Status: Public
Listed: DE (opens google.com)NYSE
Valuation: public
Works in: AgricultureSelf-driving tractorsAIRobotics
Coverage: 3 programs · 10 updateslatest 27 Aug 2025checked 25 Sep
Partners: SpaceX (Starlink)
Suppliers: NVIDIA
People: John May (opens deere.com)Chairman & CEOJahmy Hindman (opens deere.com)CTO

Spec

GUSS Orchard & Vineyard Sprayers

Spray tank capacity

600 gallons^R (reported)

Orchard GUSS length

24 ft^R (reported)

Orchard GUSS height

6 ft 4 in^R (reported)

Empty weight

11,660 lbs^R (reported)

Machines per operator

Up to 8^R (reported)

Machines deployed globally

250+^R (reported)

Total acres sprayed

2.6M+^R (reported)

Autonomous operating hours

500k+^R (reported)

GUSS Orchard & Vineyard Sprayers

Milestones

Most important updates

Upcoming

Current obstacles

Physics limits

How it works

GPS-guided paths

Smart Apply detection

One operator, multiple machines

Spec sheet

Update log

Wed 27 Aug 2025

2024

Apr 2022

About John Deere

Current obstacles

Physics limits

How it works

GPS-guided paths

Smart Apply detection

One operator, multiple machines

Spec sheet

Update log

Wed 27 Aug 2025

2024

Apr 2022

About John Deere