Targeted spot spraying with two autonomous SwarmFarm Robotics SwarmBots is saving Coggan Farms around 85% on chemical use during fallow operations – with savings reaching 95% in some situations.

The mixed farming business near Meandarra, Queensland, runs an SB032 unit, named Delta 2, delivered in December 2021, and an SB036 unit, Hotel 2, which arrived in 2022. Both machines come from the SwarmBot 5 platform. In 2025 the farm added SwarmFarm's AutoFill system, which lets the robots refill their spray tanks without an operator.

"The decision to go for robots was driven by ongoing staff shortages, increasing equipment and operational costs, and the need to consistently repeat weed-control operations with high accuracy and efficiency," says Tom Coggan, the fifth generation of his family to farm the property and the person most closely involved in bringing robotics onto the farm.

Fifth-generation business, 65,000 acres

Coggan Farms covers more than 65,000 acres and has been family-owned since 1937. Phillip and Cindy Coggan run it with their children Emily, Tom and Sarah.

"Our business includes cattle and lamb feedlots, irrigated and dryland farming, extensive grazing country and a Meatmaster Stud operation," Tom Coggan says. "Around 32,000 acres is used for our cropping programme, growing barley, wheat, chickpeas, canola, sorghum and forage sorghum."

Crop rotations change to suit seasonal conditions, and yields vary significantly with rainfall, he adds.

Before the robots arrived, weed control relied on operator-driven tractors fitted with camera-based spraying systems. Recruiting staff for that work became increasingly difficult, prompting the family to look at automation.

The machines

Each SwarmBot carries an 18-metre Hayes boom, Weed-It optical spot-spray cameras and a 3,000-litre spray tank. Power comes from approximately 75hp diesel engines, and the machines generally need refuelling every 24 to 30 hours of operation, depending on conditions and workload.

The robots work mainly in the cropping operation, particularly during fallow periods when repeated, targeted weed control is required. Their ability to run for extended periods reduces the need for additional operators.

"The biggest advantage for us has been chemical savings through targeted spot spraying," Coggan says. "In some situations, we have achieved reductions of up to 95% in chemical usage, although typical savings average around 85%."

Learning curve, then straightforward

Integrating autonomous machinery demanded changes to existing workflows. "There was definitely a learning curve initially, particularly around integrating the technology into daily farm operations and adapting existing workflows," Coggan says.

Once the systems were established and staff knew the platform, day-to-day operation became straightforward. "The support from SwarmFarm during implementation and training was also very valuable in helping with the transition."

AutoFill cuts operator involvement

The AutoFill system, added in 2025, allows a SwarmBot to return to a filling station, refill its tank and resume work without manual intervention. The system stores, measures and mixes multiple chemicals, flushes valves and records each fill.

"The AutoFill system has been a major advantage from both a labour and efficiency perspective," Coggan says. "It allows the robots to refill and return to work with minimal operator involvement, which reduces downtime and keeps the machines operating for longer periods."

It has also simplified chemical logistics. "Instead of constantly moving people and machinery around paddocks, the robots can operate more independently while staff focus on other jobs around the farm," he says. "It also improves consistency and accuracy in chemical mixing and loading."

Consistency and scalability

Coggan rates consistency among the most underrated benefits. "The robots are able to repeatedly carry out operations with the same level of accuracy regardless of time of day or operator fatigue," he says. "That consistency becomes extremely valuable during large-scale fallow spraying programmes."

Scalability matters too. "Autonomous systems allow operations to expand spraying capacity without needing to proportionally increase labour, which is becoming increasingly important in agriculture."

Payback

The upfront investment is substantial, Coggan acknowledges, but lower chemical use, labour savings, reduced machinery wear and better use of spraying windows have produced positive results.

"The payback can vary depending on the season, spray area and chemical prices, but the robots have definitely saved us a lot through reduced chemical use, lower labour needs and better overall efficiency," he says. "We generally see around 85% chemical savings during fallow spraying, which makes a huge difference to input costs."

According to SwarmFarm Robotics, a SwarmBot costs about AUD$360,000 (€220,000), with implements such as sprayers, mowers and slashers representing a further investment. The AutoFill system costs around AUD$80,000 (€50,000). The company says some customers achieve payback within 12 to 18 months through savings on chemicals, fuel and labour, though actual returns depend on machine utilisation, input costs and the type of work performed.

SwarmFarm has also built an online calculator that lets farmers compare autonomous machinery with conventional self-propelled sprayers or tractor-based setups. Users enter farm area plus chemical, fuel and labour costs, and the tool calculates annual costs – capital expenditure, depreciation, repairs, fuel, labour and chemicals – across 3 different machinery configurations.

The Coggan family monitors operating hours, areas sprayed and spray mixes from mobile devices. Farmers weighing autonomous spraying against a new self-propelled sprayer can run their own numbers through SwarmFarm's calculator now, and watch how AutoFill-equipped fleets perform through the coming Australian fallow season.