EPISODE · Jul 14, 2025 · 14 MIN

What it's really like using a SwarmBot

from MSF Farm Talk Podcast · host Mallee Sustainable Farming

In this episode of MSF Farm Talk, we take a look at on-farm adoption of autonomous spraying technology. Merredin grower Brad Jones chats with Kylie Matthewson about his journey bringing Swarm Bot onto his family farm, how it’s working, what it took to get started, and whether it’s stacking up economically. Brad shares his take on why he made the switch, the efficiencies he’s seeing, and the learning curve that came with handing over the reins (or in this case, the spray boom) to automation. If you’ve been thinking about getting into autonomous machinery, or you’re curious whether it really pays off, this is one worth tuning into. Topics covered: What drove Brad to purchase a Swarm Bot How it compares with traditional spraying methods Efficiency gains and unexpected wins Downtime, learning curves, and what surprised him Future opportunities and how the system might evolve This podcast is part of the GRDC Grain Automate project, supported by the Grains Research and Development Corporation.Support the show: https://msfp.org.au/about/membership/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.