[retro64]

This is very cool. Not knowing anything about it though it looks massive and overbuilt (with smallish wheels, but likely just fine for the time of year it's put to use). Anyone care to speculate why it needs such a large body? The width is a given because it needs to span the rows, but why a giant cube?

[gpm]

It sounds like it's got a generator on board, so it needs enough space for that.

There's no sense letting it get rained on, so it needs some sort of cap (especially given that it's presumably electric high powered lasers).

It doesn't seem to move fast enough to care about wind resistance.

A cube is a nice easy shape to build... so why not a cube.

[myself248]

I hope future generations will be at least solar-hybrid if not entirely solar. It's not like the thing has any shade to contend with, after all, and most of its loads are electrical.

[gpm]

I don't think solar panels have energy density high enough to make this even remotely plausible. Lasers convert a small percentage of the input energy into output energy, and you need a lot of energy to burn weeds to death.

Elsewhere in this comment section someone pointed out that the generator on this supplies slightly more energy than the rated maximum of most houses. It only has a few sq m of solar space on it for solar panels... that doesn't seem like it will even be a dent.

Like usual, you're better of putting solar panels on the ground somewhere. If this thing ever becomes electric I think it will have to either be by a wire, or by using electricity to convert CO2 back into fuel. Maybe if batteries improve a bit by battery, but right now it sounds like it would need to spend a large portion of it's time recharging (just comparing to electric vehicles).

On the flip side - this might be a great candidate for these guys carbon capture technology: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=26412624

[retSava]

I assume ventilation is a big factor, big fans to cool the lasers. Probably some form of liquid cooling with pumps and coolant media tubes and whatnot.

Really cool product!

I think what this product may lack if anything, is some RGB LED lighting and a name with X or Z in it, eg "CarbonX LASER-Z". Especially now with eSports increasing popularity, perhaps we may find eFarmingSports finding a niche, where the most zapped weeds per time unit wins.

[the_mitsuhiko]

My guess is because it can. Size is not a concern for farming and it being large aids cooling and helps to store more energy. Apparently it has a 75l Diesel tank for instance.