ROMI · Project

Affordable Weeding Robot and Monitoring Drone for Small Organic Vegetable Farms

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Imagine running a small organic vegetable farm where you grow up to 100 different crops — but you spend half your days bent over pulling weeds by hand. ROMI built a lightweight, affordable robot that rolls between your beds and removes weeds automatically, plus a small drone that flies overhead to give you a bird's-eye health check of your entire crop. Together, they act like an extra pair of eyes and hands, so farmers can spend less time on backbreaking labor and more time actually growing food. The goal was simple: make smart farming tools that small organic farms can actually afford, not just big industrial operations.

By the numbers

25%

Time saved on weeding for farmers

100

Different crop varieties per year these farms manage

0.01–5 ha

Target farm size range

Consortium partners across 4 countries

SME partners in the consortium

Total project deliverables produced

The business problem

What needed solving

Small organic farms across Europe are growing rapidly in number, but the work is brutally physical — especially weeding, which cannot use chemicals on organic operations. These microfarms (0.01 to 5 ha) manage up to 100 different crop varieties in complex, mixed layouts that existing large-scale agricultural robots simply cannot handle. Farmers need affordable, lightweight automation that works in tight spaces with diverse crops, not million-euro machines designed for 500-hectare monocultures.

The solution

What was built

Two market-ready robotic systems: the LettuceThink ground robot for automated weeding and 3D plant monitoring (went through three prototype stages to final market-ready version with full documentation), and the NERO aerial solution (drone + cablebot) for crop-level 3D scanning and photogrammetry. Supporting software includes adaptive learning algorithms, 3D image segmentation for weed detection, plant growth modeling, and multi-scale crop monitoring integration.

Audience

Who needs this

Organic microfarm owners struggling with manual weeding laborAgTech distributors looking to serve the small-farm market segmentUrban and peri-urban farming operators with high labor costsAgricultural cooperatives supporting organic growersFarm technology consultants advising on automation investments

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Organic vegetable farming

SME

Target: Small and medium organic market farms (0.01–5 ha)

If you are an organic microfarm dealing with the physical toll of manual weeding and limited labor availability — this project developed the LettuceThink robot, a market-ready weeding machine specifically designed for small, mixed-crop organic fields. According to the project data, it can save farmers 25% of their time on weeding tasks. The system also monitors individual plant growth in 3D, giving you precise crop status without walking every row.

Agricultural technology and robotics

SME

Target: AgTech companies developing or distributing farm automation tools

If you are an agricultural technology company looking to expand your product line into the underserved small-farm segment — ROMI produced two market-ready robotic platforms (LettuceThink ground robot and NERO aerial drone/cablebot) with open-source software and adaptive learning capabilities. The 10-partner consortium across 4 countries validated these tools in real field conditions. This is a ready-made product line for distribution or licensing into a growing market of young organic farmers across Europe.

Urban and peri-urban farming

SME

Target: Urban farm operators and vertical farming startups

If you are an urban or peri-urban farming operation struggling with labor costs in high-rent areas — ROMI's compact LettuceThink robot was designed for small, complex field layouts with mixed crops, exactly the kind of setup urban farms deal with. The 3D plant monitoring system tracks individual plant growth over time, enabling precision harvesting decisions. The system was tested both indoors and outdoors, making it suitable for diverse urban farming setups.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What does the robot cost and is it affordable for a small farm?

The project objective explicitly states ROMI aimed to develop an 'affordable, multi-purpose, land-based robot' for microfarms. Exact pricing is not available in the project data, but the design philosophy targets small farms with surfaces of 0.01 to 5 ha — meaning cost was a core design constraint, not an afterthought.

Can this scale beyond a single small farm?

The system was designed for microfarms (0.01 to 5 ha) growing up to 100 different crop varieties. The NERO aerial solution (drone + cablebot) handles broader crop-level monitoring while the ground robot handles individual plant-level work. For larger operations, multiple units would be needed — the open platform design supports that scaling path.

What is the IP situation — can I license or buy this technology?

ROMI was funded as an RIA (Research and Innovation Action) with open platform principles. The project objective mentions that a spin-off was planned to bring the robot and drone to market. The coordinator (Institut d'Arquitectura Avançada de Catalunya) is an SME, suggesting commercial intent. Contact the spin-off or consortium for licensing terms.

Has this been tested in real farming conditions?

Yes. The deliverables include field studies and real-world testing. The LettuceThink robot went through three iterations: first prototype, second prototype, and a final market-ready version with hardware, software, weeding app, and documentation. The NERO drone followed a similar prototype-to-market-ready path with 3D scanning validated in both indoor and outdoor environments.

How much time does this actually save?

The project objective states that thanks to ROMI's weeding robot, farmers will save 25% of their time. This figure specifically relates to the weeding task, which is one of the most labor-intensive activities on organic microfarms where chemical herbicides are not used.

What crops does it work with?

The system was designed for microfarms growing up to 100 different varieties of vegetables per year. The 3D plant analysis and adaptive learning techniques were built to handle small fields with complex layouts and mixed crops — exactly the diverse conditions found on organic market farms. Specific crop models were developed and validated as part of the deliverables.

Is there regulatory approval needed for the drone?

Based on available project data, the NERO aerial solution includes both a drone and a cablebot option. Drone regulations vary by EU member state and are evolving under EASA rules. The cablebot alternative may offer a path that avoids some drone-specific regulatory requirements. Check local aviation authority rules for your specific operation.

Consortium

Who built it

The ROMI consortium is well-balanced for bringing a product to market: 10 partners across 4 countries (Germany, Spain, France, Netherlands), with a 40% industry ratio and 4 SMEs involved. The coordinator is itself an SME (Institut d'Arquitectura Avançada de Catalunya in Spain), which signals commercial orientation rather than purely academic interest. The mix of 4 industry partners, 2 universities, and 4 research organizations means the project had both the scientific depth to develop advanced 3D imaging and plant modeling, and the practical engineering muscle to build market-ready hardware. The geographic spread across major European agricultural markets (France, Netherlands, Spain, Germany) gives the technology built-in knowledge of diverse farming conditions.

INSTITUT D'ARQUITECTURA AVANCADA DE CATALUNYACoordinator · ES
INSTITUT NATIONAL DE RECHERCHE EN INFORMATIQUE ET AUTOMATIQUEparticipant · FR
ECOLE NORMALE SUPERIEURE DE LYONthirdparty · FR
SONY EUROPE BVparticipant · NL
HUMBOLDT-UNIVERSITAET ZU BERLINparticipant · DE
INSTITUT NATIONAL DE RECHERCHE POUR L'AGRICULTURE, L'ALIMENTATION ET L'ENVIRONNEMENTthirdparty · FR
CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRSparticipant · FR

How to reach the team

Coordinator is Institut d'Arquitectura Avançada de Catalunya (IAAC) in Spain — an SME. A spin-off company was planned to commercialize the robot and drone. Check the project website for current contact details and spin-off status.

Order a report on this consortium See INSTITUT D'ARQUITECTURA AVANCADA DE CATALUNYA profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the ROMI team or their spin-off? SciTransfer can connect you with the right people and help you evaluate whether this technology fits your farm or distribution network.

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