Without workers, the company builds AI-powered fruit-picking drones
2 min read
An Israeli company has developed a system consisting of flying robots to pick fruits. These drones are already in use in many countries.
How is the system
The model consists of flying robots attached to a platform on the ground. It was created by the Israeli company Tevel.
Algorithms recognize trees. AI systems determine what is a fruit, what is a branch, and what is a leaf using AI.
Flying units analyze each fruit to decide whether it should be harvested or not. As a result, the drones only remove those that are ripe or at the correct harvest point.
The drones are attached to a ground vehicle. From the tree, these flying robots drop each harvested fruit onto this platform, which will then weigh and analyze the deposited item.
It is capable of harvesting apricots, peaches, peaches, apples, pears and nectarines, according to the manufacturer.. Drones approach the fruits and roll them up using a robotic arm to extract them from the trees.
Cameras connected to each drone pass information to apps that let you know how many drones have been harvested.weight, quality and colouring, among other information.
An Israeli company, Tevel Aerobotics, has developed a flying fruit-picking robot
Image: Playback / Tevel Aerobotics
Why do we use drones?
According to the manufacturer, there is a shortage of labor. Harvesting requires a lot of labor for only a few periods of the year, making it difficult to find suitable professionals for these operations in some parts of the world.
These robots can still work 24 hours a day. This increases harvest capacity without the need to hire new crews, according to Tevel.
Equipment can be rented. Temporary use allows fewer units to be manufactured, as well as enabling sharing with different types of crops in different regions, without companies having to acquire the equipment individually.
sought, the company did not report the unit cost of the drones or the rental.
A Tevel Aerobotics drone harvests apples at the Unifrutti farm in Chile
Image: Reproduction/Unifrutti
places where it has already been used
Tevel already has equipment in use in Italy, the United States and Israel. Recently, it was announced that the system had arrived in South America, in partnership with Unifrutti, from Chile.
Drones help the company by preventing the fruits from being harvested on time (either very green or very ripe).
Chile, according to the company, is facing a labor shortage. This mainly happens at harvest time, which increases costs and waste, because without specialists, part of the feet is not removed in time before it spoils.
How is harvesting done without robots?
It is generally made of human labor. Professionals stand on platforms atop vehicles to reach the treetops and extract the fruit by hand.
This factor is one of the risks of accidents on farms. Also, workers often experience high temperatures during the day or other unhealthy issues.
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