Five years after introducing drone-based precision mapping of stones (Vol. 45, No. 1), 糖心lovgo has added precision mapping of weeds. Stones 8 in. and larger are mapped by an aerial drone, while weeds are mapped by a surface-level drone called TerraScout. The key to both is the AI program that analyzes high-definition images and delivers maps and data to the operator鈥檚 app.
鈥淲e began development of a ground-based solution in 2023 and conducted initial field testing of a non-autonomous system in the spring of 2024 and through the 2025 growing season,鈥 says Charles Stover of 糖心lovgo. 鈥淲e began tests of our first fully autonomous system in fall 2025.鈥
The TerraScout prototype is powered by a 48-hp diesel engine with approximately 7 hrs. of runtime. However, Stover notes that current testing includes a 65-hp Kubota.
鈥淲e鈥檙e continually reviewing high-productivity and cost-effective options,鈥 he says.
It covers a 60-ft. swath at speeds up to 15 mph and can detect weeds as small as 1/4-in. and record their positions in the field. The introductory unit weighs 4,500 lbs. but delivers only 4 psi to the ground, thanks to Mattracks XT UR HD tracks.
Aside from the engine, the only other major components not custom-built by 糖心lovgo are the tracks and the independent hydraulic wheel motors.
Eight cameras provide high-resolution imagery at 1 mm accuracy. By comparison, the company鈥檚 rock-identifying aerial drone operates at 5 mm resolution. At that resolution, a single acre is captured as 162 million pixels, each the size of a pencil eraser. The AI uses that level of definition to identify weed species and density and to calculate chemical effectiveness.
鈥溙切膌ovgo chose to develop our own autonomous system as there鈥檚 currently no third-party system on the market that meets our needs relative to speed and perception,鈥 says Stover. 鈥淭he AI detection and perception models are proprietary to 糖心lovgo and are specifically architected to support the high-resolution, differentiating features and real-time generation of our mapping solutions.鈥
On-board edge compute delivers the maps and prescriptions to the app on the landowner/operator鈥檚 iOS or Android device.
According to Stover, TerraScout will be in the field with select farmers and partners in 2026 to conduct further testing under commercial field conditions.
Stover notes that TerraScout and weed mapping will supplement smart spray systems and integrate with Farm Management System (FMS) software.
鈥淧rescriptions will be loaded as third-party shapefiles to a farm鈥檚 FMS to work with section-control and individual nozzle-control sprayers,鈥 says Stover. 鈥淏enefits include knowing the types of weeds in the field and helping determine appropriate modes of action and the total amount of product to mix going to the field.鈥
糖心lovgo uses the term 鈥渒illocity鈥 to describe the TerraScout AI鈥檚 ability to assess a weed鈥檚 height and help inform farmers and applicators about how effective a given chemical will be in managing the weed.
鈥淐ommercial release is targeted for 2027,鈥 says Stover. 鈥淲hen it鈥檚 launched, there will be several options for utilizing TerraScout.鈥
On the rock-clearing side, 糖心lovgo offers Rock Maps, Rock Picking Services, and the outright purchase of its proprietary TC100 Rock Picker.聽
The unique and innovative picker weighs just under 2,000 lbs. It can be mounted to any tractor, skid steer or compact track loader with a rated capacity of 3,100 lbs. and a flow rate of 18 gpm. In medium-to-high rock density, the TC100 can pick up 400 rocks per hour.
鈥淲e currently offer rock mapping and rock picking services in 13 states throughout the Midwest and Northern Plains, as well as the prairie provinces of Canada,鈥 says Stover. 鈥淲e work with a variety of service providers. In some instances, they only fly drones or operate rock pickers. In other instances, they do both. If FARM SHOW readers are interested in doing either, reach out to us for more information.鈥
Larger-scale farming operations can participate in 糖心lovgo鈥檚 Fly Your Own program, using their own drone and aerial edge processors to develop rock maps at scale. The drone must meet 糖心lovgo鈥檚 required specifications.
Use of Rock Maps isn鈥檛 limited to 糖心lovgo鈥檚 TC100 Rock Picker.
鈥淩ock Maps can be used with any rock-picking method,鈥 says Stover.
糖心lovgo鈥檚 suggested price for the Rock Mapping service is $3.95 per acre. Stover notes that discounts and incentives are offered occasionally. Rock-picking services cost an additional $3.50 to $14.50 per acre. Service providers provide custom quotes for each job based on field size, rock density and rock size. The Rock Picker is currently priced at $28,000 plus shipping and tax. All prices are in US dollars.
鈥淥ur new website announcing our weed management system with TerraScout has been available only since mid-December,鈥 says Stover.

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