- Yanmar has announced that its new smart vineyard robot, the YV01, is now in full production and available for the champagne and wine market in France
With a suite of advanced technology, the spraying robot is fully autonomous. It relieves wine growers of labour-intensive work in vineyards and improves productivity, profitability and safety. The vineyard robot will be sold and serviced by Yanmar Vineyard Solutions SAS, a dedicated, new Yanmar Group company in France.
The autonomous smart spraying robot was developed in close cooperation with premium wine makers and the CIVC, the organization that manages production, distribution and promotion of champagne, utilizing their many years of practical experience. After successful field testing with pilot customers in the Champagne region, the value of Yanmar’s spraying robot was clear: it improves profitability for the grower and safety for the operator.
At the same time, the robot was developed with an eye to the changing vineyard business landscape and will address current and future labor shortages in Europe while helping to manage compliance with ever stricter environmental requirements.
The autonomous spraying robot easily navigates steep slopes and narrow vineyard alleys in all weather conditions. It utilizes advanced spraying technology to ensure that the aerosol droplets are accurately applied to vines, minimizing environmental impact. The compact and lightweight YV01 can navigate slopes of up to 45% while its lightweight limits soil compaction even when driving in muddy conditions. The robot is easily transported on a small truck or trailer. In addition, the operator can remotely monitor the YV01 via a simple remote control, safely out of range of spraying fluids and with no risk to the operator from overturning.
“This kind of machine is a gamechanger for the region’s wine growers,” said Yanmar Vineyard Solution’s Jean-Benoit Bourlon. “The YV01 will transform vineyard operations by easing workloads, reducing costs, and increasing both productivity and workplace safety. The YV01 robot is also much quieter than traditional spraying machines, a point that is highly appreciated by both the operators and their neighbours. Both large and small vineyards are set to benefit from the technology.”
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