LaserWeeder by Carbon Robotics · The Techno Optimist

Milestones

Next · Expansion to more crops and regions

Autonomous Weeder robot unveiledApr 2021Complete.
LaserWeeder implement launched2022Complete.
LaserWeeder G2 launchedFeb 2025Complete.
Expansion to more crops and regionsNowCurrent milestone.

Most important updates

2 Feb 2026
24 Jun 2025
10 Feb 2025
12 Feb 2024
11 Apr 2023

Upcoming

2026New AI-powered machine announced after the 2025 raise (next)

Current obstacles

Price per machineA high upfront price limits buyers to large, high-value farms or contractors.
Learning new cropsEach new crop and weed species needs new training data and testing.

Physics limits

Every weed needs a dose of laser energyA laser must heat a weed's growing point hot enough to kill it. Bigger weeds need much more energy, and total laser power is fixed, so dense or large weeds force the machine to drive slower.
Water soaks up the laser's lightCO2-laser light is absorbed in the top fraction of a millimetre of water-rich material. That's why it kills plant tissue well, but wet soil, dew or a leaf in the way also swallows energy meant for the weed.

How it works

3 parts

A laser burst hitting a weed seedling between crop plants: the LaserWeeder kills weeds this way, one at a timeCourtesy of Carbon Robotics · Press kit, editorial use (opens carbonrobotics.com)

Image

Cameras under a hood

A hood with its own lights keeps images consistent, so cameras clearly see every plant passing below.

Classify

Crop or weed

AI identifies each plant and its growing tip, and keeps learning from data across the whole fleet.

Zap

Laser pulses

Lasers hit each weed's growing tip for milliseconds, killing it with heat while the machine keeps moving.

Spec sheet

vs LaserWeeder G1

Spec	LaserWeeder	LaserWeeder G1	Change
Lasers (G1, 20 ft)	30 x 150 W CO2^R (reported)	—	—no comparable change
Weed kill rate (G2, claimed)	Up to 600,000 weeds/hour^R (reported)	~5,000 weeds/min	—no comparable change
Targeting accuracy	Sub-millimetre^R (reported)	—	—no comparable change
Compute	On-board NVIDIA GPUs^R (reported)	—	—no comparable change
G2 architecture	Modular widths^R (reported)	—	—no comparable change

^R reported by the company

Papers & demos

2 items

Feb 2025demo
LaserWeeder G2 (opens businesswire.com)Modular redesign that weeds faster per acre.
2022demo
LaserWeeder commercial launch (opens businesswire.com)First commercial laser weeder at farm scale.

Update log

7 updates

Mon 2 Feb

Minor: PressSoftware

Tue 24 Jun 2025

Minor: PaperResearch

Mon 10 Feb 2025

Major: PressHardware

Mon 12 Feb 2024

Minor: PressSoftware

Tue 11 Apr 2023

Minor: PressFunding

Mon 13 Feb 2023

Minor: PressSoftware

Apr 2021

Minor: PressHardware

About Carbon Robotics

The team behind LaserWeeder

Carbon Robotics

LaserWeeder, Carbon ATK tractor autonomy

Seattle company whose LaserWeeder, pulled behind a tractor, uses cameras and AI to find weeds and kill them with lasers, so vegetable farms need no herbicide or hand weeding. It also sells Carbon ATK, a kit that makes existing tractors self-driving.

LaserWeeders work on vegetable and specialty-crop farms in the US and abroad, replacing hand crews and herbicide.
LaserWeeder G2 (Feb 2025) is modular, lighter and faster than the first version.
Carbon ATK (formerly AutoTractor), launched 2025, makes tractors self-driving, with remote operators on standby.

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

Founded: 20188 yrs
Headquarters: United States
Status: Private
Valuation: private
Raised: $120M3 rounds
Last round: Extension · $20M2025
Works in: AgricultureWeeding & spraying robotsRobotics
Coverage: 2 programs · 11 updateslatest 1 Sep 2026checked 25 Sep
Partners: Great Plains Manufacturing (opens greatplainsag.com)
Suppliers: NVIDIA
People: Paul MikesellFounder & CEO