Ekonomist magazine's “Smart farming era begins” feature profiles Orbiba Robotics among Turkish ventures seeking to make advanced technology more accessible to farmers. Two ideas stand out: a modular robot intended for different jobs throughout the year and an AI system designed to target weeds that actually require intervention.

Why selective treatment matters

Effective weed management is not the removal of every green plant. The system must protect the crop while identifying species that create harmful competition at the relevant growth stage. Orbiba's AI-enabled perception is designed to make that distinction in the field. Precise treatment could reduce chemical herbicide use and align with soil-health objectives in organic and regenerative farming.

Modularity is intended to keep the same robot base useful across seasonal tasks. For a smaller business, this may reduce idle time, but the economic case still needs evidence on task capacity, implement-change time, service and total cost of ownership.

Moving from workshop to repeatable production

Founder and CEO İlker Bektaş told Ekonomist that the company was continuing its work in the Tech Istanbul Pre-Incubation programme. The reported plan is to produce the first 60 robots by the second quarter of 2026 in a dedicated 50 m² workshop provided by Yıldız Technical University, while pursuing growth in Türkiye, Europe and North America.

• Initial production target: 60 robots
• Period stated by the source: by the second quarter of 2026
• Production space: a 50 m² workshop provided by Yıldız Technical University
• Market direction: Türkiye, Europe and North America

These figures are stated targets, not completed production results. Moving from a prototype to repeatable manufacturing also requires supply-chain discipline, quality control, field service and safety validation. Orbiba's next threshold is to match its modular technology with consistent product quality and support that farmers can realistically access.

Source: Ekonomist — The smart farming era begins