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TerraBlaster aims for late 2026 launch with real-time NPK soil mapping at tractor speed. Elaine Watson | Published on: May 4, 2026 TerraBlaster - a startup using tech first deployed on the Mars rover to determine levels of key nutrients in the soil - has moved from concept to field-validated prototype, with commercial launch targeted by the end of 2026. Led by agtech industry OG Jorge Heraud, TerraBlaster uses laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) in rugged sensors that can be dragged by a tractor or ATV through the soil at a depth of around six inches to provide detailed maps outlining pH, plus levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and other nutrients in real time. This can then be used to guide the more precise application of fertilizer, delivering ROI in the form of reduced input costs and increased yield, taking precision ag to a new level, says Heraud, who led precision ag at GPS/GNSS specialist Trimble before cofounding Blue River Technology - which was later acquired by John Deere for $305 million. Following extensive testing in Iowa last year, TerraBlaster plans to test a second-generation prototype in May-June, with further validation work in the fall, says Heraud, who was approached by Impossible Sensing to build a new company deploying its LIBS technology in agriculture last year. The initial go-to-market strategy is to sell the system to agronomists at ag retailers and soil-testing service providers. Right now, the tech works at 5mph, a speed Heraud reckons he can double to 10mph "pretty soon." The limits of traditional soil sampling. The price of the hardware is still being finalized, with costs expected to come down as the device gets smaller, says Heraud. But the basic proposition to farmers is that it won't cost more than what they currently pay for soil sampling, a slow, and labor-intensive process that lacks the granularity and convenience of TerraBlaster's approach. First, says Heraud, existing methods involve going into the field, taking multiple samples, mixing them, bagging them, and sending them to a lab, which returns results several days later, limiting the ability to make timely adjustments. Second, he claims, most farmers sample at around 2.5-acre grids, which masks significant variability within a field. For example, an area that looks uniformly high in nutrients at that resolution may contain a mix of high and low zones when measured more precisely, such that farmers either over- or under-apply fertilizer, leaving yield on the table. While they could increase sampling density, he says, this quickly becomes prohibitively expensive. In the image above, for example, the low-res version suggests the 2.5 acre plot highlighted in red is high in potassium. The more granular map provided by TerraBlaster using 1/6 acre grids shows that the plot actually contains several areas that are low in potassium. This level of detail allows farmers to apply the correct amount needed to the newly identified low spots, leading to potential increases in yield. Crucially, says Heraud, TerraBlaster's information is actionable for farmers, as standard fertilizer spreading machinery enables variable rate application. "You don't need [a more precise] see and spray type system [to capitalize on the insights from the LIBS data]. If you have a spreader that you bought maybe in the last 15 years, you can handle this." The Holy Grail: actionable info in real time. There are other high-tech approaches designed to assess nutrient levels in soil or plants, from Crop Diagnostix's RNA-based crop health early-warning system, which highlights nutrient deficiencies in plants weeks before visible symptoms appear, to satellite imaging that measures vegetation levels to estimate nutrient levels. However, crop based measurements are not much use before a crop is planted, which is when most fertilizer is applied observes Heraud, adding that TerraBlaster's system is also designed to integrate with spreading or spraying systems in real-time so that insights are immediately actionable. "You're getting fertilizer nutrient levels instantaneously and making fertilizer decisions [in real time]. That's the Holy Grail." Initially the device would be attached to the back of a tractor or ATV, but could in future be attached to the front of a nitrogen application machine from John Deere, CNH or AGCO for example. "So you would measure maybe in the front of the tractor and then only apply the amounts needed." Competing soil sensing tools. Other sensing approaches, he says, are promising, but not necessarily as accurate or as granular: "We measure nutrients in parts per million, like a lab does." According to Heraud: "There are companies out there using near infrared spectroscopy [for estimating soil organic matter, moisture, and texture] but it hasn't been very accurate [for direct measurement of NPK]. "You also have some companies using interpolation, which is a clever way of doing it [by measuring electrical conductivity or other properties in the soil that serve as proxies for nutrient levels]. But instead of measuring every two and a half acres, they measure every 10 acres, maybe." Scaling and deployment. TerraBlaster raised a $4 million pre-seed round backed by Khosla Ventures, Bidra, the VC arm of fertilizer giant OCP, and Trailhead capital among others last year, and is now raising a $10-15 million seed round to scale up the tech, says Heraud. "We have a company that produces the implement for us. There are some custom electronics that we've created, but we have a contract manufacturer that builds the boards for us. And the rest of the components you can buy off the shelf." Finding farmers for testing is also somewhat easier when you've spent a career building relationships in the sector, he says. "It does help knowing a lot of people in the industry." Right now, TerraBlaster is targeting open field crops such as corn, soy, wheat and certain vegetables rather than drip-irrigated crops in which fertilizer is added to irrigation systems, as those systems typically cannot apply the level of granularity to fertilizer application to fully benefit from TerraBlaster's data, he points out. "Drip irrigation is typically done in very big zones, but I think someday if they start having a more granular way of applying fertilizer, that [using TerraBlaster] would be good." What is laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS)? LIBS is a sensing technique that uses a high-energy laser pulse to briefly vaporize a tiny amount of material - such as soil - creating a plasma. As the plasma cools, it emits light at wavelengths that reveal the sample's elemental composition. By analyzing this spectral fingerprint, LIBS can rapidly measure nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and other nutrients and soil properties like pH, BpH and CEC in real time without the need for traditional lab testing, says Heraud. "There is a little bit of AI that is used as part of that as we need to figure out if the elements are in forms that are going to be uptaken by the plant. So we calibrate to the same things that a soil lab would report, which for example in phosphorus, is something called Mehlich 3 or Bray P1 and we can calibrate to those. We also need to calibrate to each soil type. But we've shown that our measurements are as accurate as a traditional soil lab in the many associations where we've tested so far."

Wills Bros picks Trimble kit from Sitech for A9 surveys. 22/04/2026 Wills Bros Civil Engineering has used Trimble survey equipment from Sitech for work on the A9 dualling project in Scotland.

Trimble and Pinnacle Infotech to accelerate India's digital infrastructure vision. MagazineCoverage Global leader in advanced technology solutions, Trimble has announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Pinnacle Infotech Solutions to strengthen its digital construction ecosystem and accelerate the adoption of design-led integrated engineering workflows across India and the SAARC region. This collaboration builds on a long-standing association between the two organizations and reflects a shared commitment to advancing innovation in the construction and infrastructure sector. This collaboration will also focus on driving the adoption of integrated digital workflows and improving how projects are planned and delivered. By bringing together Trimble's technology and Pinnacle's digital design, digital construction, and Digital Twin expertise, the partnership aims to make construction more coordinated, efficient, and predictable, especially for large and complex projects. Under the MoU, Pinnacle will scale the adoption of Trimble solutions, with Trimble supporting its digital design and engineering capabilities. Trimble and Pinnacle intend to collaborate to highlight the value of digital construction and the creation of Digital Twins across the full project lifecycle from concept and design to construction and operations by bringing together field and office solutions. A key focus of this collaboration will be Pinnacle's upcoming residential campus in Madurai, which is expected to serve as a live example of integrated AECO solutions. The two companies will also explore establishing a customer experience centre at the campus. This centre is envisioned as a dedicated industry platform to demonstrate how digital workflows can be applied in real project environments. It will serve as a hands-on learning space for developers, contractors, consultants and engineering professionals to better understand and adopt digital construction practices. By combining live project exposure with structured engagement, the centre aims to support industry and academia upskilling and help stakeholders move from awareness to implementation. It will also act as a reference site for showcasing how Digital Twins and connected workflows can improve coordination, visibility, and project delivery outcomes. Commenting on the partnership, Rajan Aiyer, Vice President & Managing Director, Trimble India & SAARC Region said, "We see this as a practical step towards making digital construction more accessible and easier to implement across projects. This deep collaboration with Pinnacle allows us to bring technology and execution closer together. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to support India's digital infrastructure vision by enabling wider adoption of BIM-led workflows and connected construction practices." Bimal Patwari, CEO & Co-founder, Pinnacle Infotech Solutions, added, "Our journey with Trimble has been instrumental in delivering complex projects successfully. Through this MoU, we are building on that foundation by expanding our use of Trimble's technologies and expanding our digital design & engineering capabilities across the AECO lifecycle. The proposed Trimble Customer Experience Center in our Madurai campus will bring this to life by creating a space to experience these technologies in action." The MoU marks the beginning of a broader collaboration between the two organisations as they look to support the industry's shift towards more connected and efficient ways of working.