Harvesting the Future

Over the past century, drones have been swooping in to revolutionize the way farmers operate. These autonomous, aerial devices gather valuable information about fields, orchards, crops, soil and much more. They can even apply fertilizers and chemicals with precision, increasing efficiency and productivity.

Recent advancements are now taking drone technologies to a new level with physical harvesting applications.

Traditionally, fruit and vegetable picking has relied on manual labor, a time-consuming and labor-intensive process. With modern agriculture and the access to advanced technologies, it’s time to level up.

Agriculture drone technology companies are addressing the need for new and novel harvesting technologies. Innovations include drones equipped with sensors, artificial intelligence, and robotic arms to delicately and precisely pluck fruit from trees. As these technologies become more available, it’s only a matter of time before robotics work more closely and sustainably to feed the world.

Drones in Agriculture

Currently, drone technologies are being used for crop management, data collection, information analysis and simple tasks like spreading grass seed. As the technology advances, drone capabilities are ever expanding, streamlining the way farmers farm.

Imaging & Data Collection

The most widespread use of agricultural drones is imagery and data collection pre- and post-harvest.

Drones take snapshots, offering detailed imaging and data on soil and vegetation content, identification of weeds, forestry and other similar factors. Companies such as AgEagle and DJI manufacture and supply these types of agriculture drones.

During flight, high-definition cameras and sensors are used to better understand soil variations, irrigation, and disease or pest issues. This helps the farmer make informed decisions, while approaching the full farming cycle from a birds-eye view.

Planting & Spreading

Tedious tasks, such as planting seeds and spreading cover crops, can be taken on by agricultural drones. Farmers fly drones to spread solids (seeds, compost, bugs, etc.) over large distances and in hard-to-reach places much faster than they could manually.

Spraying

After analyzing a field or orchard, drones use data collected to optimize the spraying and application of pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides. Some drones, depending on their size and capabilities, can then be deployed to physically spray an entire field.

Harvesting

One of the newest and most promising drone applications is that of harvesting.

Until recently, drone software was most used in the pre-harvesting stage where technologies analyze and monitor crops up until the point of picking. Additionally, drone software can make informed predictions, homing in on the right timing for harvests.

But over the past decade, technology companies have developed and tested drones for the use of physical harvesting — beginning in the orchard picking space.

Drones & Harvesting

Drone technology companies, like Israel-based Tevel Advanced Technologies, have redefined the agricultural space by developing a “new era of harvesting” with the use of drones and robotics.

Tevel’s game-changing solution includes drones equipped with robotic arms and AI technologies, transforming fruit harvesting practices. These Flying Autonomous Robots (FARs) precisely identify and gently gather harvest-ready fruit from trees.

Tevel’s innovation is set to pave the way for a more sustainable and cost-effective agriculture industry.

How Do They Work?

Drones employ various advanced technologies and sensors to navigate fields and pick harvest-ready crops.

Tevel’s cutting-edge technology utilizes artificial intelligence and machine learning models to analyze orchard fruit. The drones, tethered to mobile platforms, fly autonomously throughout the orchard to identify ripe fruit based on its color, size and other visual cues.

Once identified, robotic arms are used to mimic the hand of a human harvester. The arm suctions the fruit and plucks it from the tree. From there, the drone flies to a platform where it gently drops the fruit into an onboard bin.

Tevel’s drones pick fruits such as apples, pears, plums, peaches, nectarines and apricots. On average, each drone can pick about 1000 pounds per day.

The Benefits of Drones in Harvesting

Drone use in harvesting presents many benefits for farmers. From useful data collection to cost benefits, drones streamline harvesting activities while improving crop yield and quality.

Continuous Harvesting

Probably the greatest and immediate benefit of harvesting drones is their ability to work around the clock. This is especially valuable during peak harvesting times.

Reduces Costs

With a worldwide shortage in fruit-picking labor, harvesting drones offer a desirable solution. Having the ability to operate day and night, drones can work without the need for downtime — increasing efficiency, while reducing labor costs.

Minimizes Waste

By design, Tevel drones gently pick fruit in a way that minimizes bruising. The fruit is picked through suctioning, then is gently placed onto a platform. Minimized bruising also minimizes defective and moldy batches of fruit.

Data Collection

As Tevel’s drones work, AI software gathers real-time data on harvesting activities. Data collected provides farmers with detailed information about the fruit harvested, including weight, color, market value, diameter and disease detection, just to name a few.

Challenges

While the future of drone use looks promising, the adoption of new technologies in the industry doesn’t come without challenges.

High purchasing costs pose a barrier to entry for farmers. To overcome this issue, Tevel provides its machines for sale and offers them on a service-based basis. Meaning, farmers can contract with Tevel for their harvesting services.

Additionally, Tevel’s products are not yet widely available. Currently, the company’s technologies can be found in Israel, Italy, Chile, and in parts of the United States. The goal, however, is to expand the use of Tevel technologies worldwide.

The Future of Harvesting

Agricultural drones are redefining how crops are managed and harvested. Working tirelessly, drones reduce operational costs while maximizing yields.

For now, drone harvesting technology is still under development. Companies like Tevel are undergoing rigorous global testing in different farming environments. The goal for Tevel is to make harvesting drones commercially available by 2025 – a significant, and quite exciting, advancement in agricultural technology.