Video Transcript
Labor shortages are having a serious impact around the globe and have forced entire industries to get creative when it comes to ushering in new technology that embraces autonomy and automation. One company, Tevel Aerobotics, is going a step further by adding flying to the mix. The company has created swarms of flying autonomous robots that can pick fruit.
When harvest time comes, so do the labor expenses for fruit growers if they can find help. From food and housing to visas, insurance, and transportation, procuring labor is logistically overwhelming. Well, Tevel believes it can supplement human workers with harvesting robots that can improve quality while reducing food waste and simplifying operations, all while providing real-time data on every fruit picked.
The robots are powered by algorithms that help detect fruit, determine size and ripeness, and stabilize the craft as it harvests the fruit, all while working in concert with one another (or as a swarm). The drones are also the only ones in the world that can fly in and out of the trees without harm. The flying robots can harvest a wide range of fruit, from small apricots to large apples.
Tevel recently partnered with HMC Farms for a pilot project in Kingsburg, California. With great success, the team has already harvested peaches, nectarines, and multiple colors of plums using drones at HMC.
Another positive impact? Safety. Harvests in California’s Central Valley can get hot in the summer, well over 100 degrees, for several days. Using drones means fewer people are subjected to harsh elements.
With more autonomy coming to agriculture, like self-driving tractors, it will be interesting to see if we see genuinely lights-out farming before we see it in manufacturing.
