Bonsai Robotics unveils GPS-free farm robots for small-scale agriculture

Bonsai Robotics has unveiled its new Amiga lineup of autonomous agricultural vehicles, marking the company’s first major product expansion since acquiring farm-ng in July. The three-model range—featuring GPS-free navigation powered by AI and computer vision—targets labor-intensive farming operations and represents a push to bring affordable automation to small and midsize farms.

What you should know: The Amiga Flex leads the new lineup as the first vehicle fully integrated with Bonsai’s proprietary “Bonsai Intelligence” software stack.

• The modular platform offers an 800-pound payload capacity, 1,600-pound towing capacity, and over eight hours of runtime per battery pack.
• Two additional models, the Amiga Trax and Amiga Max, complete the range designed for diverse agricultural applications.
• Production begins in 2026, with early pilot deployments already underway in California vineyards, orchards, and specialty-crop farms.

How it works: Each vehicle uses Bonsai’s vision-based autonomy platform to navigate complex farm environments without relying on GPS signals.

• Sensor arrays and perception algorithms enable the vehicles to identify crop rows, obstacles, and terrain boundaries autonomously.
• The AI-driven system handles perception, planning, and control functions to enable fully autonomous operation across diverse agricultural settings.
• The modular design allows farmers to customize platforms with specific implements or tools based on crop types and field conditions.

In plain English: Think of these robots as self-driving farm vehicles that use cameras and sensors to “see” their surroundings, much like how you navigate a crowded room by looking around rather than following GPS directions. The AI software acts like a smart brain that processes what the cameras see, decides where to go, and controls the vehicle’s movements—all without human input.

Key capabilities: The Amiga vehicles can perform multiple farming tasks including weeding, material transport, spraying, towing, mowing, and crop scouting operations.

• This versatility positions the platform as a comprehensive solution for various labor-intensive field operations that traditionally require manual work or multiple specialized machines.

What they’re saying: Tyler Niday, CEO of Bonsai Robotics, emphasized the company’s focus on accessibility and practical implementation.

• “The Amiga Flex is our next step toward delivering affordable, intelligent autonomy to every grower,” Niday said.
• “By uniting the heritage of farm-ng’s mechanical innovation with Bonsai’s AI-first autonomy software, we can bring practical automation to small and midsize farms faster than anyone else.”

Why this matters: The launch addresses a critical gap in agricultural automation by targeting smaller farming operations that have been largely overlooked by existing robotic solutions.

• Most current agricultural robots focus on large-scale industrial farms, leaving small and midsize operations without access to automation technology.
• The GPS-free navigation system could prove particularly valuable in areas with poor satellite coverage or complex terrain where traditional autonomous systems struggle.