Developing a Robot for Fruit Growers - what do you think?

[cozmogeek]

That thing is a beast now!

 

[candersen10]

Thanks!

Here it is hustling around.
.

 

[balatonwine]

Does this use case exist in many places (guys collecting bins to larger place by hand, or carrying bins to collection place by hand)? Or is everyone running a vineyard tractor with wagon behind it and picking up bins where they have been left by pickers?

Where did you source this image? Without knowing, I would guess that image is most likely a use case in countries where such labor is cheap enough compared to running a tractor to make it practical. And thus would probably see no economic sense to purchase your robot.

So then I searched the image source. Looks like France:

https://chenebleu.wordpress.com/2011/11/01/harvest-2011-beauteous-weather-bountiful-grapes/

But notice, they are mostly using machines (in this image, it is an ATV). So it would seem that manual labor is limited, or is not a limiting or economic factor as I guessed. Because, surprise.... they are actually mostly using machines, in the rows, to bring grapes out of the field. Similar to the scenario I already recounted.

 

[balatonwine]

What if while pruning you had a cart behind with a large volume capacity bed to throw prunings right into? The cart could return to dump itself, and then come back to you. You would not have to get into a tractor at all and could just keep working.

Value? Or none?

I would say that the cart would just be in the way during pruning for manual pruners. And if you have ever pruned vines, you should know the cutting do not fit neatly into a box. they can often be quite a tangle of mostly airspace. And what do the pruners do (again as previously mentioned before) when the cart was off "dumping" the cuttings? Lag time, or else having to purchase more machines to keep a row of bins always available. Manual pruners work fast. Besides, a lot of large commercial vineyards use machines to do the trimming. And a simple, rather inexpensive, 3-point hitch rake on a tractor can make piles for later pickup.

Eventually.... eventually, there will be a market for such a robot. But in those areas where field labor costs are high or not available due to shortage (and the terrain is relatively flat). Don't see it practical yet in many areas however.

 

[candersen10]

Eventually.... eventually, there will be a market for such a robot. But in those areas where field labor costs are high or not available due to shortage (and the terrain is relatively flat). Don't see it practical yet in many areas however.

What about these spaces? http://www.agrbt.com/images/Video/in field operations.mp4

Could anyone see it working there?

We've concluded that the wine grape market is not the right one for us. Bin trailers are not something we want to compete with.

 

[balatonwine]

What about these spaces? http://www.agrbt.com/images/Video/in field operations.mp4

Could anyone see it working there?
.

I personally know below zero about blueberries.

 

[candersen10]

Thoughts on this one now?

Here's an image of it in blueberries.