Sixty-six Kilter AX-1 robots already working European fields have together avoided the use of more than one million litres of herbicide — the track record behind a new European framework agreement signed by Kubota and Norwegian robotics firm Kilter on 22 July.

The deal commits Kubota to using its European dealer, parts and service network to support step-by-step expansion of the AX-1 autonomous spot-spraying robot into additional European markets. The robot is already commercially available in Germany and the Netherlands. France and the UK are now under consideration, though no timetable has been given for those launches.

Kilter managing director Kristoffer Magnor and Kubota Holdings Europe president Shinichi Yamada signed the agreement.

Why the dealer network matters

The partnership builds on an existing collaboration between the two companies in Germany and the Netherlands. For Kilter, the framework gives a young robotics company access to an established dealer and service infrastructure across Europe — often the bottleneck for scaling field robots beyond pilot fleets.

The parts logistics are already in place. Kilter spare parts are stocked at Kubota's European Parts Centre in Thionville, France, and participating dealers can order AX-1 components through the same system used for Kubota equipment.

For Kubota, the deal adds an autonomous precision weeding system to its European smart farming portfolio.

How does the AX-1 work?

The AX-1 targets high-value crops such as vegetables and herbs. Cameras and AI-based machine vision identify individual weeds, and Kilter's Single Drop Technology then applies small droplets of herbicide directly onto each target plant.

Kilter claims the approach can cut herbicide use by up to 95% compared with conventional applications, depending on conditions and application method.

The fleet figures give growers a concrete reference point: 66 units in operation and more than one million litres of herbicide avoided to date.

What changes for growers?

For vegetable and herb producers outside Germany and the Netherlands, the agreement signals that sales and — critically — service support for the AX-1 could arrive through local Kubota dealers rather than through a specialist startup channel.

The integrated parts ordering through Kubota's system also shortens the repair loop, a common concern with autonomous machinery entering commercial use.

What happens next?

Farmers in France and the UK should watch for dealer appointments and market-entry announcements, since the companies are actively exploring both markets. No launch dates have been set, so availability beyond Germany and the Netherlands remains unconfirmed for now.