Robotic and drone tech make fruit picking and handling easier
Farming is undergoing a remarkable transformation thanks to cutting-edge technologies that are reshaping how fruit is picked and handled. Autonomous drones, like Tevel’s Flying Robots, are already harvesting fruit globally, bringing precision and efficiency to the process. These drones combine artificial intelligence with advanced computer vision to navigate through orchards, identifying and picking only the fruit that has reached peak ripeness. Their ability to maneuver carefully around branches allows them to harvest without bruising or harming the trees.
The Tevel drones provide farmers with real-time information about the harvest, including the size, color, and ripeness of each fruit. This data helps optimize harvesting schedules and reduce waste. The drones have been deployed in orchards across the United States, Italy, Chile, and Israel, where they have helped reduce labor costs by up to 30% while improving harvest accuracy. Multiple drones can work together from a mobile platform, covering large orchard areas efficiently.
On the other hand, UC San Diego’s GRIP-tape gripper represents the next frontier in gentle produce handling. This prototype uses layered “fingers” inspired by steel measuring tapes to grasp delicate fruits gently. While early tests show promise in handling objects like lemons and tomatoes without damage, the gripper is still in the experimental stage and has yet to be widely adopted in farming.
The GRIP-tape gripper’s motorized reels allow its tape-based fingers to extend, rotate, and convey items like a conveyor belt. Researchers highlight its low cost and safety around humans, but further development is needed to integrate it into commercial packing lines or harvesters.
The combination of Tevel’s drones and the GRIP-tape gripper highlights both the immediate benefits and long-term potential of agritech innovation. While the drones are already transforming orchards, the gripper offers a vision of how delicate produce handling could evolve in the future. As technology continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how these advancements work together to support farmers and improve food production.
As we embrace these technological advancements in farming, we must consider the balance between progress and protecting human jobs. While automation can bring efficiency and precision to the industry, it’s essential to find a way to support both innovation and livelihoods. The future of farming is bright, with exciting possibilities on the horizon.
