California Patent of the Month – April 2025
A new agricultural innovation promises to revolutionize crop management by combining AI, robotics, and precision delivery systems. Verdant Robotics has secured U.S. Patent No. 12,262,663, titled “Managing stages of growth of a crop with micro-precision via an agricultural treatment delivery system.” This technology aims to enhance crop yields while reducing resource use.
Precision Agriculture Meets Automation
The patented system employs computer vision and machine learning to identify individual plants and assess their specific needs. It then uses a network of directional emitters to apply targeted treatments, such as fertilizers or pesticides, directly to the plants. This approach minimizes waste and environmental impact.
Unlike traditional methods that treat entire fields uniformly, Verdant’s system adapts to the unique requirements of each plant. This level of precision supports sustainable farming practices and can lead to significant cost savings for farmers.
Real-World Impact on Farming
As global food demand rises and arable land becomes scarcer, innovations like this are crucial. By optimizing resource use and improving crop health, Verdant’s technology could play a key role in meeting future agricultural challenges.
The system’s integration of AI and robotics represents a significant step forward in precision agriculture. Its ability to deliver customized care to individual plants could redefine farming efficiency and sustainability.
Are you developing new technology for an existing application? Did you know your development work could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? Even if your development isn’t successful your work may still qualify for R&D credits (i.e. you don’t need to have a patent to qualify). To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.
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The Research & Experimentation Tax Credit (or R&D Tax Credit), is a general business tax credit under Internal Revenue Code section 41 for companies that incur research and development (R&D) costs in the United States. The credits are a tax incentive for performing qualified research in the United States, resulting in a credit to a tax return. For the first three years of R&D claims, 6% of the total qualified research expenses (QRE) form the gross credit. In the 4th year of claims and beyond, a base amount is calculated, and an adjusted expense line is multiplied times 14%. Click here to learn more.
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