Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM)
PWM nozzles vary droplet size and flow rate without changing pressure. It gives the operator more control, but every square metre still receives product — only the dose is adjusted.
WeedEye Guide
What Is Precision Spraying?
A practical, extension-style guide to real-time, site-specific weed control. Learn how precision spraying works, why it matters for your farm, and where real-time AI spot spraying fits on the technology ladder.
Precision spraying means applying only where it is needed
Precision spraying is the practice of applying crop protection products with site-specific control rather than broadcasting the same rate across a whole field. The goal is simple: put the right amount of chemistry in the right place, at the right time.
The term covers a spectrum of technologies. At one end, GPS-guided boom sections reduce overlap and skip already-treated areas. At the other end, real-time AI vision opens individual nozzles only when a weed is detected — turning every spray pass into a map of decisions, with no drone mapping or multi-step planning required.
Because the decision happens on the boom in milliseconds, the operator sprays the same way as always: fill, drive, and let the machine hit only the weeds. No new expertise, no changed workflow.
- Reduces total chemical use and cost
- Protects crops, soil biology, and watercourses
- Improves resistance-management flexibility
- Raises productivity per sprayed hectare
The precision spraying technology ladder
Not all precision spraying is the same. Farms usually climb the ladder as technology, labour, and chemistry economics allow.
Boom Section & Nozzle Control
GPS-mapped section or individual nozzle control switches off over headlands, buffer strips, and already-treated zones. A big step forward, yet it still sprays the whole pass width.
Real-Time AI Spot Spraying
Computer vision identifies weeds as the sprayer moves and opens only the nozzles covering those plants — no drone mapping, no office planning, no multi-step workflow. This is the most advanced form of precision spraying.
Why precision spraying matters now
Three pressures are pushing precision spraying from optional to essential: input costs, herbicide resistance, and environmental regulation.
Up to 90% less herbicide
In fallow and post-emergence programmes, real-time spot spraying can cut chemistry volume by 60–90%. That translates directly into lower input bills — and because the tank-mix shrinks proportionally, water savings are just as significant.
Matching water savings
Less herbicide also means less carrier water. Tank-mix volumes drop in proportion to chemical use, cutting refill stops, water hauling, and spray drift potential.
Resistance management
By treating only weed patches, farmers preserve effective modes of action and reduce selection pressure on resistant populations.
Environmental protection
Less active ingredient leaves the field. Buffer strips, watercourses, and non-target plants are exposed to far smaller chemical loads.
Crop safety
In high-value horticulture and row crops, nozzles stay closed over the cash plant. Crop burn, phytotoxicity, and re-entry intervals shrink.
No extra expertise needed
Real-time AI spot spraying works with the same fill-and-drive workflow as blanket spraying. No drone mapping, no prescription files, no agronomy degree required.
Faster payback
With chemistry costs rising, many WeedEye users see full payback in 1–2 seasons on 200+ hectare operations.
How WeedEye delivers precision spraying
WeedEye is a real-time AI vision retrofit that turns conventional sprayers into plant-level precision spraying systems. It does not replace your sprayer — it makes every nozzle intelligent, on the fly.
- FALCON vision units: Rugged IP67 cameras mounted every 1–1.5 m scan the field in real time — no drone flights, no pre-maps.
- On-boom edge AI: Crop and weed classification happens on the machine — no cloud, no latency, no office planning step.
- RAPID valve system: 5 ms actuation opens and closes nozzles fast enough for 20 km/h field speeds.
- Same workflow, smarter results: Fill the tank, drive the field, and spray as usual. The system hits only the weeds — no extra expertise required.
- Two retrofit paths: Easy Kit integrates with existing ISOBUS valves; Full Upgrade Kit adds RAPID for maximum speed.
Blanket, map-based, or real-time spot spraying?
Not all spot spraying is the same. Real-time systems decide on the boom, so you spray like always — without drones, maps, or extra planning steps.
| Factor | Blanket spraying | Map-based spot spraying | Real-time AI spot spraying |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chemical use | Full field rate everywhere | Only mapped weeds sprayed | Every weed detected and selectively sprayed |
| Water / carrier volume | Full tank-mix rate across field | Reduced, tied to mapped zones | Reduced in proportion to herbicide savings |
| Workflow | Fill and drive | Drone map → plan → spray | Fill and drive — same as blanket |
| Expertise needed | Standard sprayer operation | Mapping & prescription skills | Standard sprayer operation |
| Weed control | Good, but selects resistance | Depends on map accuracy & age | No weed missed — real-time detection, zero delay between detection and spray |
| Crop safety | Risk of phytotoxicity | Less chemical reaches the crop | Far less chemical reaches the crop |
| Speed | Limited by label / boom | Limited by map resolution | Up to 20 km/h with RAPID |
| Data | None | Weed maps from drone imagery | GeoJSON weed pressure maps |
| Payback | Input cost only | Hardware + service costs | 1–2 seasons on 200+ ha |
Ready to spray with precision?
Tell us about your sprayer, crops, and hectares. We will recommend the right WeedEye kit and estimate your chemical savings.