Precision and Sustainability in Each Drop: Inside Purida’s AI-Powered Orchard Robotic

Farmers face a tricky mixture of challenges: there aren’t at all times sufficient staff to have a tendency huge orchards, and those that spray pesticides danger harming their very own well being by inhaling poisonous chemical substances. On the identical time, overusing sprays pollutes soil and water, threatening each the setting and the long-term well being of crops and other people. 

Enter Purida, a next-generation orchard spraying robotic constructed to chop chemical use and shield each folks and the planet. Mounted on an all-electric, light-weight body, Purida drives itself by way of rows of fruit timber and applies pesticides solely the place they’re wanted. It could actually cowl extra floor in much less time, then robotically return to its base when the job is finished 

At its core, Purida makes use of AI-based autonomous driving, electrostatic nozzles, and a wise blower system. GPS, LiDAR, and imaginative and prescient sensors work collectively so the robotic navigates difficult terrain and avoids obstacles. 

Its electrostatic nozzles cost spray droplets in order that they cling evenly to each side of leaves, slicing pesticide use by as much as 40 %. A separate blower at every nozzle lets Purida modify airflow for various crops—whether or not apples, pears, or grapes—guaranteeing exact protection with out waste. It is a game-changer.

Historically, orchard managers relied on guide or tractor-towed sprayers. Employees with backpack sprayers spray by hand, which is gradual, uneven, and exposes them to chemical substances. Bigger tractors pull growth sprayers, however they nonetheless drench total canopies and lose 65 %–70 % of spray to float and runoff. Many growers additionally comply with inflexible spray calendars, making use of chemical substances whether or not illness danger is excessive or not, resulting in pointless environmental hurt.

Purida makes use of AI to stay secure on tough orchard flooring. An AI continuously watches the way it strikes and reacts earlier than hassle begins. Tiny gyroscopes and accelerometers feed a neural‐community mannequin working on the robotic’s onboard laptop with actual‐time information about tilt, velocity, and course. 

That AI has been educated on 1000’s of examples of secure and unsafe slopes, so if it spots patterns that normally result in tipping, it immediately slows or stops the robotic. All of this occurs within the blink of an eye fixed, retaining Purida from leaning too far and risking a rollover even when the bottom is uneven. Purida has been optimized to keep away from floor root harm.

Behind the scenes, Purida additionally builds a reside map of the orchard utilizing GPS, LiDAR, and cameras. This “floor‐adaptive” navigation layer updates repeatedly, marking spots the place the soil dips or banks too sharply and steering the robotic round them. By weaving collectively quick sensor suggestions, predictive AI, and adaptive path planning, Hada makes positive Purida can spray each row rapidly and exactly, with out ever shedding its stability.

HADA has already moved Purida out of the lab and into actual orchards. Since early 2025, the corporate has provided Purida items to industrial farms by way of Korea’s government-backed New Know-how Distribution Challenge, working pilot trials on apple and grape orchards. 

Early suggestions from these on-farm pilots has been overwhelmingly optimistic. Growers report that Purida’s autonomous path planning and remote-monitoring app allow them to deal with spraying with a fraction of the crew they as soon as wanted. 

In addition they reward the electrostatic nozzles for delivering extra even protection with noticeably much less drift, they usually’ve been impressed by the robotic’s rock-steady stability on uneven terrain, particularly when in comparison with tractor-towed booms. For a lot of, probably the most vital reduction has been figuring out they not have to face shoulder-to-shoulder with a reside sprayer, inhaling advantageous mist each time they deal with their timber 

(From left) Hubert Nguyen, CTO of Ubergizmo, and Ha Jong-woo, CEO of Hada, taking a commemorative picture. │Photographed by – AVING Information

Purida is constructed by Hada Co., Ltd., a Korean agency that has specialised in field-crop equipment since 2012. From their begin constructing garlic planters, they’ve grown into an built-in options supplier combining in-house {hardware}, software program, and AI experience. Right this moment, they’re the one Korean firm with such a industrial orchard spraying robotic—they usually’re transferring quick to broaden globally, with plans to point out off their subsequent mannequin at CES 2026.

Filed in Robots. Learn extra about Agritech and Korea.