Saga Robotics and Bitwise Agronomy Partner to Revolutionize UK Strawberry Production

Strategic Insights -

Saga Robotics, a leading innovator in agricultural robotics, has announced a groundbreaking partnership with Bitwise Agronomy to integrate its Thorvald robots with Bitwise's AI crop insights platform at Chambers Farm, a leading soft-fruit producer in the UK. This collaboration aims to provide commercial-scale data collection and highly accurate yield forecasting for strawberry growers, addressing the industry's need for reliable, scalable, and automated data insights.

Key Takeaways:

  • The partnership involves Saga Robotics' Thorvald robots capturing detailed video data on fruit and flower development at Chambers Farm, where they already treat 20% of the UK's tabletop berries with UV-C crop protection.
  • The data is processed using onboard AI to count millions of fruits and flowers per night, assess ripeness, and map findings to specific field locations.
  • The information is then uploaded to Bitwise Agronomy's platform, where it is combined with weather and sensor data to generate precise, actionable yield forecasts.
  • The collaboration aims to give growers reliable, scalable yield predictions and operational insights, streamlining labor and harvest planning.
  • The partnership will cover 100% of the area covered by the robot doing UV treatment, which is expected to be multiple times a week for fast-growing crops like strawberries.
  • The integration with Thorvald is a "natural next step" for Bitwise Agronomy, addressing the need for more scalable, automated, and real-time data collection for berry and soft-fruit growers.
  • Chambers Farm, a 1,300-acre soft-fruit producer, will act as the "proving ground" for the new collaboration, using the partnership to plan months ahead of time.
  • Saga Robotics is expanding Thorvald's data collection and analytics offering, with new crop detections, partnerships, and a new digital platform on the horizon.

Statistics:

  • Chambers Farm spans around 1,300 acres and produces around 30 varieties of soft fruit, supplying major UK supermarkets.
  • Thorvald robots will capture detailed video data on fruit and flower development at Chambers Farm, counting millions of fruits and flowers per night.
  • The partnership will cover 100% of the area covered by the robot doing UV treatment.
  • The data will be processed using onboard AI to assess ripeness and map findings to specific field locations.
  • The partnership aims to give growers reliable, scalable yield predictions and operational insights, streamlining labor and harvest planning.

Sources:

  • Saga Robotics
  • Bitwise Agronomy
  • Chambers Farm
  • AgTechNavigator