Spray Sense: Automated Agriculture Sprayer

Tandem Grove Farms was experiencing inefficient labour usage and reduced accuracy by manually spraying across two different sprayer platforms. The brief: develop a low-cost sensor package that detects targets automatically, cuts wasted overspray, and works on both machines without a redesign.

• Reduce wasted overspray, manual labour, and inconsistency with a sensor-driven trigger system.
• Design for compatibility across both the orchard sprayer and the herbicide sprayer already in use on the farm.

• Evaluated sensor technology — tested SICK ultrasonic sensors in isolation to confirm reliable target detection before committing to the design.
• Consulted directly with the client to define a controller that was capable but still simple enough for a farm crew to operate day-to-day.
• Designed the controller PCB in Altium, handling DC-DC conversion (5V/12V/24V), user inputs, ultrasonic sensor inputs, and solenoid outputs on one board.
• Coordinated a 5-person team — split mechanical sensor mounts, enclosure design, and C firmware across the group and kept the build on schedule.

• Successfully deployed a functioning system on working farm equipment with >95% repeatability.
• Reduced human error, manual labour, and wasted overspray for the client's day-to-day operation.
• Delivered a novel, low-cost automation solution for a gap in the market — existing agriculture sprayers with no retrofit path to automation.