An almond shooting robot and a battery-powered tractor are among the innovations recognised ahead of the World Ag Expo this year
Of the products named in the Top 10 among exhibitors at the World Ag Expo, set to be held in California in February, four are autonomous robots and one an electric tractor.
The World Ag Expo hosts more than 1,400 exhibitors every year, with the top 10 selected from among them by a panel made up of farmers and graziers as well as other industry professionals.
Among the products named is a new patent pending rover developed by InsightTrac, built to seek and destroy ‘mummy’ almonds by shooting them out of trees using biodegradable pellets.
Mummy almonds are those that remain on the tree after harvest, providing a food source for pests that can go on to cause problems. At present, most of these almonds are removed by shaking the tree and those remaining removed by hand.
InsightTrac’s rover uses a camera to identify the almonds and shoot them out of the tree, while also recording how many were removed and other insightful data about the crop.
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InsightTrac’s robot shoots mummy almonds from trees after harvest
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Autonomous sprayer developer Guss Automation secured an award for its new Mini Guss, launching this summer and developed for vineyards, orchards and blueberry and hop growers.
Guss says operators can keep tabs on up to eight of the autonomous sprayers at once using a laptop, once they have been configured for the task they are meant to do.
The Guss units can precisely control sprayer speeds and application rates across entire fields and in variable terrain using its adjustable software parameters.
Developer Burro was also recognised for its Burro platform, used in specialty crops such as table grapes, blueberries and nursery crops, as was Naïo Technologies for a new robot to be unveiled at the event.
The Solectrac E70N is an electric tractor that is wholly battery powered, specifically designed for use in vineyards, orchards and for commercial farming.
Solectrac says the tractor has equivalent power to a 70hp (52kW) diesel model, only without the exhaust and associated emissions, and can operate for four to eight hours, depending on battery load.
With four wheel drive and a power take off of 50hp (37kW), the tractor can reach a top speed of 25 miles per hour (40km/h) and takes between 8–10 hours to charge with a 220 VAC.
The manufacturer says it will be focusing on the North American market for the next two years as the company works on an expansion plan for international sales, selling currently at a base price of US$74,999 (A$103,910).
The winners will be recognised at an awards session as part of the World Ag Expo’s Opening Ceremonies on February 8.