Nanovel, an Israeli agricultural technology startup, has unveiled its AI-powered robot designed to accomplish the difficult task of picking citrus fruit from large trees with dense foliage. Until now, this could be done only manually.
The robotic harvester is equipped with a multi-arm platform. Each arm uses a patented end-effector with a vacuum gripper to cradle the fruit and trim the stem without damaging it.
The arms also utilize edge computing, advanced vision systems, and various tools to identify, assess, and selectively pick fruit with precision that meets fresh market quality standards.
Although the current version of the system has to be towed by a tractor, the company is working to equip the robot with an internal driving unit and navigation capabilities.
The robot’s first target fruit to harvest is oranges, the most widely cultivated fruit globally. In the future, however, the system will be adapted to harvest many more types of citrus: lemons, grapefruits, avocados, mangoes, peaches and nectarines.
Nanovel’s robot offers a solution to agriculturalists worldwide dealing with labor shortages and rapidly increasing operating costs. The robot, which mimics manual labor and can operate 24 hours a day, is expected to boost farm productivity while cutting costs.
Trials in 2025
Nanovel recently signed an agreement with the California Citrus Research Board (CRB) worth a total of $900,000, which includes a series of field trials that are set to begin in 2025. If the trials are successful, the robot will be adopted by the CRB.
Founder and CEO of Nanovel Isaac Mazor said the startup’s mission is “to secure the affordability of fresh fruit through autonomous harvesting.”
“Our goal is to deploy Nanovel’s solution into major global citrus markets, particularly in the US and southern European countries like Spain and Italy. We aim to set a new standard for fresh market harvesting, ensuring high quality and economic viability for growers,” Mazor said.
Nanovel showcased the robotic harvester at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit, which recently took place in London. The company is based in Ramot Menashe in the Haifa region.
To read more about Israeli agricultural robots that are revolutionizing farmwork for the future, click here.
More on Innovation
Fighting for Israel's truth
We cover what makes life in Israel so special — it's people. A non-profit organization, ISRAEL21c's team of journalists are committed to telling stories that humanize Israelis and show their positive impact on our world. You can bring these stories to life by making a donation of $6/month.
