AMAZONE UX SmartSprayer

Spot Farming at the highest level now in field use

AMAZONE started practical field trials of the UX 5201 SmartSprayer trailed sprayer with its 36 metre boom during the spring season 2022. The SmartSprayers were deployed over many countries in large agricultural businesses and demonstrated the potential of part-area, specific plant protection.

SmartSprayer technology for more sustainability

The AMAZONE UX 5201 SmartSprayer trailed sprayer integrates camera technology and image processing from Bosch and crop establishment know-how from xarvio™ in a unique crop protection system. With field-specific threshold values and simultaneous full-width and spot application in a single pass, herbicide costs can be reduced by 70%.

Successful field use

The UX 5201 SmartSprayer integrates three main components for spot application: scanning, decision-making and application. The camera and image processing technology, developed by Bosch, scans the entire field, regardless of environmental influences, by day and by night, thanks to the integrated light module. The sensor systems distinguish between growing crops and weeds at working speeds of up to 12 km/h. xarvio™ selects an application in real time, based on the weed density. The xarvio™ agronomic decision-making engine takes into account the crop, the timing of application and the customer and field-specific weed treatment strategy. Pulse-wide frequency modulation valves (PWFM) with SpotFan nozzles spaced 25 cm apart enable maximum savings.

SmartSprayer dual tank system

The UX 5201 SmartSprayer is a spot spraying system that can be used pre- and post-emergence, enabling greater savings. In addition, farmers can save on the number of passes and costs using the innovative dual tank system in combination with the FT-P 1502 front tank. A second spray line enables the simultaneous full-area application of ground-applied herbicides, insecticides or fungicides. As well as improved cost-efficiency and multifunctional utilisation, a major advantage of the system is its environmental friendliness.

A new generation of booms

The newly developed Hightech spray boom has the camera and light modules ready-integrated and ensures high-precision spot application. The unique boom guidance with ContourControl and SwingStop ensures optimal application results. 

Exact image recognition

Bosch’s image recognition system detects any weeds in milliseconds at a very early growth stage, in order to apply herbicides to the target surface with high precision and efficacy. The specially developed LED lighting technology provides support in difficult ambient conditions such as with shadows and, of course, at night. Another advantage of the integrated SmartSprayer solution is its superiority over satellites and drones, as plants are detected to pinpoint accurcy, making real-time applications possible.

xarvio™ agronomic decision-making engine

The best field-specific setting and the recommended herbicide mixture for the SmartSprayer system and when they should be used are based on the advanced xarvio™ agronomic decision-making engine (ADE) from BASF Digital Farming. Various parameters such as cropping, weed spectrum and weather conditions, are automatically taken from xarvio™ FIELD MANAGER, processed to create a decision and transferred to the SmartSpraying system in line with good agricultural practice of integrated plant protection. The UX 5201 SmartSprayer uses damage thresholds to only apply the product where weeds have a negative effect on the quality of weed management. This saves more herbicide in comparison to conventional systems, while achieving the same results. 

In addition, xarvio™ simplifies the everyday workflow with crop establishment recommendations. In trials, it emerged that it is precisely this combination of know-how which ensures the successful operation of the UX 5201 SmartSprayer and which makes the system so extremely practical.

Viable technology

Together with Bosch and BASF Digital Farming, AMAZONE has carried out a wide range of research activities and implemented them in a marketable product with its interdisciplinary know-how. The gradual market introduction of this pioneering SmartSprayer technology, which is unique worldwide in its technical possibilities and system approach, will take place in the coming years. 

The advantages at a glance:

• Instructions for action are based on the enormous volume of data held by the xarvio™ agronomic decision-making engine 
• Real-time systems for very small area spot application with integrated documentation of spot application 
• Maximum precision even at large boom widths in conjunction with active boom guidance and active swing damping 
• Technology ready for practical use 
• Enormous potential for savings on plant protection agents