Design and Development of Battery Operated Weeder for Wetland Rice

Background: Wetland rice cultivation requires effective inter-row weed management, but manual weeding is labour-intensive and conventional powered machines can be difficult to operate in puddled soil. Aim: To design and develop a battery-powered weeder that provides a lightweight, economical, ergonomic and eco-friendly machinery solution to reduce dependence on manual labour in wetland rice fields. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, SVCAET & RS, Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya (IGKV), Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India, during 2025–2026. Methodology: The machine was powered by a 650 W DC motor paired with a 27 V, 30 Ah lithium iron phosphate battery system. Key structural components incorporated into the design included a mild steel chassis, rotating stainless-steel blades, a worm gear transmission system, a control unit and a dedicated floating mechanism. Results: The dimensions of the developed weeder were 780 × 560 × 1400 mm, with a total weight of 17.10 kg. Theoretical battery-runtime estimation indicated approximately 1.24 hours, while the ideal full-recharge time was estimated at approximately 2.4 hours for a 12.5 A charging current. The fabrication cost of the developed unit was estimated at ₹29,840. Conclusion: A lightweight ( ) battery-operated wetland weeder powered by a DC motor and a lithium iron phosphate battery pack was successfully designed, fabricated, and put into operation for inter-row weed management in puddled rice fields.