Context: A High-Pressure 2024 Season
This year, winemakers face multiple pressures.
- Downy Mildew: Crop yields are threatened by downy mildew, exacerbated by excessive rainfall and adverse weather conditions (see rance 3 région article).
- Regulations: Stricter environmental and health regulations add complexity to vineyard management (see additional article).
- Economic Strain: Rising costs and tight profitability create financial pressures. In September, Laurent de Buyer, CEO of Axema, addressed the difficult situation during a special anniversary event for the Oz series at an agricultural research station in Auray, presenting industry data underscoring this crisis.
In this context, optimizing becomes essential: optimizing time for high-value tasks, maximizing yields to offset disease losses, and leveraging technology to mitigate adverse weather.
Agricultural Robotics: An Innovative Solution
This is where agricultural robotics steps in. Robots like Naïo’s Ted and Jo models provide practical responses to the challenges winemakers face.
- Time Optimization: Naïo’s “Augmented Autonomy” technology, awarded Gold at Vinitech Sifel 2024, allows robots to work autonomously in vineyards, giving winemakers the opportunity to focus on higher-value strategic tasks. By handling repetitive, labor-intensive tasks, robots work safely and efficiently, freeing up valuable time.As Renaud Friederich from Domaine du Gibeau, France, notes: “Initially, I was amazed by the guidance quality. Now, with Augmented Autonomy, there’s no need to have someone monitor repetitive tasks and a verified route.”(See recent articles in Les Échos , Pleinchamp or Réussir for more information.)
- Increased Versatility: Naïo’s robots are designed to be adaptable. Nearly 20 implements, primarily for soil work (e.g., under-vine ploughing, mechanical and electric inter-vine blades, discs, cultivation tools), offer flexibility suited to various terrain and agronomic practices. The development of tasks like pruning and weeding enables Ted and Jo to perform more functions simultaneously. Combined-tool solutions are also emerging to increase productivity; for example, while pruning, inter-vine weeding can occur simultaneously, enhancing efficiency and enabling further tool combinations. See here
- Valuable Insights: Sensors and AI provide detailed vineyard data. At Château Fombrauge, sensors integrated into the Ted robot by Chouette allow real-time vineyard health analysis. These sensors detect and identify diseases, alerting winemakers with tailored recommendations for yield improvement. This capacity to anticipate issues and make informed decisions is vital in a demanding environment.
A Promising Future
Agricultural robotics is more than a trend; it’s a concrete response to today’s challenges. With Augmented Autonomy, versatility, and data collection, robotics empowers winemakers to navigate complex challenges and optimize operations.
The future of vineyards is already underway, with sustainable, efficient, and intelligent robotics. Upcoming innovations will continue to transform viticulture, supporting those who tirelessly produce this precious nectar.
In the 2024 harvest season, it’s more important than ever to leverage these technological advances to meet challenges and seize opportunities. Agricultural robotics is a key to a more resilient, high-performance viticulture.
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Meet Us at Vinitech Sifel 2024 in Bordeaux! Join us at Vinitech Sifel from November 26-28 in Bordeaux. It’s the perfect opportunity to discuss modern viticulture challenges and explore our latest innovations in agricultural robotics, including our award-winning Enhanced Autonomy technology.
Visit our stand and discover how our robots can transform your vineyard operations.
