AI to predict weed pressure and field variability before the season
15/10/2026
CropUp’s AI-based satellite forecasting module from Akson Robotics is recognised as a two-star Agromek innovation, using historical satellite data and knowledge derived from drone imagery to predict field variability and relative weed pressure one to two years ahead.
Precision farming often relies on data that only becomes available once the crop has been established and field treatments are approaching. With CropUp’s new satellite module, the ambition is to provide farmers with a basis for decision-making much earlier. The module analyses historical field patterns and divides the area into zones with expected low, medium and high weed pressure.
The solution is based in part on high-resolution drone imagery collected from more than 30,000 hectares covering different crops, weed species and emergence stages. This dataset has been used to train an AI model that combines this knowledge with publicly available satellite imagery from previous years. The results can be converted into management zones and exported to more than 20 supported machine terminal formats.
According to Akson Robotics, the zones can be used to redistribute inputs according to field variability rather than treating the entire area uniformly. At Frandsbjerg Agro, the module has been used across approximately 1,100 hectares to optimise the application of herbicides, plant growth regulators and fungicides. Across the three treatments, total input consumption was reduced by approximately 15 per cent, according to the submission, corresponding to savings of more than DKK 85,000.
In its final assessment, the Agromek judging panel highlights the potential of combining historical satellite data with knowledge from drone-based weed mapping, enabling complex datasets to be translated into simple management zones that support targeted applications, prioritisation of field scouting and improved use of inputs. The judges also note that further documentation of forecast accuracy and agronomic impact could strengthen the solution’s value as a planning tool.
Further information
Akson Robotics
CropUp by Akson Robotics
Agro Food Park 13
DK-8200 Aarhus N
Denmark
www.akson-robotics.dk