Farming is undergoing a remarkable transformation thanks to cutting-edge technologies reshaping how fruit is picked and handled. While autonomous drones like Tevel's Flying Robots are already harvesting fruit globally, innovations like UC San Diego's GRIP-tape gripper represent the next frontier in gentle produce handling. Together, these advancements promise to make fruit production more efficient and precise, though one is a proven solution and the other is a glimpse into farming's future.
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Tevel's Flying Autonomous Robots (FARs) are redefining fruit harvesting by combining artificial intelligence with advanced computer vision. These drones 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. Unlike human pickers, these drones can operate continuously, working day and night to get the job done faster and more consistently.
Farmers benefit from detailed, real-time information about the harvest, including the size, color and ripeness of each fruit, all accessible through a mobile app. This data helps optimize harvesting schedules and reduce waste. FARs have already 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 work together from a mobile platform, covering large orchard areas efficiently.
Beyond picking, these robots also detect diseases and track the location of each fruit bin, providing farmers with valuable insights to manage their crops better.
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While Tevel's drones tackle harvesting, UC San Diego's GRIP-tape gripper remains in the experimental stage as a solution for post-harvest handling. Inspired by steel measuring tapes, this prototype uses layered "fingers" to grasp delicate fruits gently. Early tests show promise in handling objects like lemons and tomatoes without damage, but it has yet to be widely adopted in farming.
The 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.
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Tevel's drones are already transforming orchards, while the GRIP-tape gripper offers a vision of how delicate produce handling could evolve. The combination of real-world automation and experimental robotics highlights both the immediate benefits and long-term potential of agritech innovation.
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As we watch technology take on more roles in farming, it's clear that drones like Tevel's are already making a real difference in how fruit gets harvested. Meanwhile, concepts like the GRIP-tape gripper show us what might be just around the corner, a gentler, smarter way to handle delicate produce. There's plenty of potential ahead, and it will be interesting to see how these technologies continue to evolve and work together to support farmers and the food we all enjoy.
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