Fruit robot brings orchard tasks back down to size

The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few — so the Germans have developed a small, totally autonomous robot, designed specifically to perform typical orchard and vineyard chores.

Developed by a consortium of private firms and the Technical University of Dresden, with funding from the EU and the state of Saxony, the C‰ser “fruit robot” is being introduced to the marketplace by Raussendorf Machine and Equipment Manufacturing, with an €85,000 price tag.

Guided by GPS with an RTK correction signal, C‰ser can make its way along a predetermined path through an orchard or vineyard performing a variety of tasks, such as fertilising, tillage, grounds care, and transporting. It has four-wheel steering and a PTO drive and hitch linkage, all powered by a 65 horse power Kubota engine.

If C‰ser encounters an unexpected obstruction, it has an emergency stop feature built in.

For safety reasons, after encountering an obstacle, it must be manually restarted. The company recommends any staff working in the area should receive special training to ensure C‰ser isn’t a hazard to them, and they don’t interfere with its operation.

It can haul up to 2,500 kilo-grams, with a flat top designed to carry standard-sized orchard crates of fruit or grapes. It loads itself, and unloads the crates onto a special receiving platform. It can carry up to 15 empty crates and position them at predetermined spots.

The onboard computer maintains a continuous radio link between C‰ser and a base station or other mobile communication device, reporting its location and operating status so a manager can constantly monitor it.