Guardian Agriculture, a Woburn, Mass.-based startup creating massive drones for aerial spraying, lately shut down after failing to safe further funding. The corporate ceased operations in late August 2025 following a spherical of layoffs earlier in the summertime.
Based in 2017, Guardian Agriculture captured the eye of the agtech and robotics sectors with its SC1, a totally autonomous quadcopter designed for crop spraying. The SC1 weighed roughly 600 lb. (272.1 kg), might carry as much as 200 lb. (90.7 kg) of fertilizer or pesticides, and was able to protecting 60 acres per hour, the firm stated.
Outfitted with 4 80-in. (203.2 cm) propellers, a 20-gal. (75.7 L) tank, and an 18-ft. (5.4 m) spray growth, the drone was described by one supply as being “in regards to the dimension of a small SUV.”
In April 2023, Guardian introduced the SC1 obtained approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to function its plane nationwide. On the time, the corporate stated this made the SC1 the primary commercially approved electrical vertical take-off and touchdown (eVTOL) system within the U.S.
Regardless of the technical ambition, Guardian struggled to commercialize its expertise. Based on a supply conversant in the enterprise, the corporate had only one paying buyer on the time of shutdown. MIT Information lately stated Guardian had constructed eight items of the SC1 as of June 2025, which had been delivering payloads over California farms in trials with paying prospects.
The Robotic Report obtained an inner e-mail that Guardian Agriculture CEO Ashley Ferguson despatched to staff on Aug. 22 to announce the shutdown:
“It’s with final unhappiness that I relay the next information. We don’t have sufficient money readily available to carry people again to work subsequent week (or cowl advantages going ahead). We additionally don’t have sufficient money commitments from traders as we speak for an advance to increase people so we now have to make the robust determination to wind down the group and Guardian, efficient as we speak.”
“[We] are executing on liquidation and exploring $$ opps from insiders to undergo the right wind down (together with potential acquirers), however sadly it doesn’t assist our money drawback as we speak.”
Guardian Agriculture’s SC1 drone. | Credit score: Guardian Agriculture
The Robotic Report reached out to Fall Line Capital, which is managing the wind-down course of, however didn’t hear again. Based on Crunchbase, Guardian Agriculture raised $51.7 million over 5 rounds of funding. This included a $20 million Collection A that Fall Line Capital led in mid-2023.
Guardian Agriculture’s SC1 had earned trade recognition throughout its improvement. The drone was named one in every of Time journal’s Greatest Innovations of 2024 and was featured amongst The Robotic Report’s prime picks from the World Ag Expo 2023.
The corporate’s closure underscores the challenges of scaling agricultural robotics {hardware}, the place excessive analysis and improvement prices, lengthy adoption cycles, and restricted early income usually constrain even well-regarded startups.
In different ag robotics information, 4AG Robotics lately raised $29 million for mushroom harvesting robots. TRIC Robotics, which focuses on autonomous pest and plant illness management, raised $5.5 million in seed funding. And Beewise lately closed a $50 million Collection D funding spherical for its AI-powered BeeHome, which repeatedly monitor and assess hive well being.
Late final month, John Deere acquired GUSS Automation, a developer of crop autonomy primarily based in Kingsburg, Calif. The businesses established a three way partnership in 2022 and at the moment are taking that dedication a step additional.
Editor’s be aware: RoboBusiness 2025, which can be on Oct. 15 and 16 in Santa Clara, Calif., will characteristic tracks on discipline robotics, design and improvement, enabling applied sciences, enterprise, bodily AI, and humanoids. Registration is now open.
