Brumby, a startup founded by 19-year-old Sam Rogers, has raised $1.2 million for AI-powered drones that herd cattle. The company is based in Sydney, and more funding from a tier-one US venture capital fund will be announced shortly. Rogers grew up on a cattle station in Queensland and built his first drone at 14. He dropped out of a mechatronics and space engineering degree at Sydney University to work on the idea full time. The drones use acoustic cues and visual pressure to guide cattle, and dock in a solar-charged trailer between flights. Parts are made in China and will soon be assembled in a warehouse south of Sydney. Brumby raised its first funding from NextGen and joined Y Combinator in December.

A 19-year-old Australian entrepreneur, Sam Rogers, has raised A$1.2 million (approximately R13.8 million) for Brumby, a startup developing AI-powered drones that autonomously herd cattle. The technology enables farmers to manage livestock via smartphone, eliminating the need for traditional herding methods. The system creates digital farm maps including paddocks and fences. The drone identifies herds, monitors movement and posture, and adjusts its approach based on animal behaviour. It can track up to 2,000 animals, count them, estimate weight, identify sick cattle, and inspect infrastructure. Brumby claims the technology reduces mustering costs by roughly half. Whilst developed for Australia's cattle stations, the system could benefit South Africa's livestock sector through improved rotational grazing, enhanced monitoring, and reduced management costs, particularly if deployed through shared services for smaller farmers.