Tevel: Autonomous Flying Robots for Fruit Harvesting

Tevel

As the global agricultural sector faces an increasing labor shortage while striving to boost productivity and reduce costs, Israeli company Tevel Aerobotics Technologies has developed a breakthrough innovation that could reshape orchards around the world: autonomous flying robots capable of harvesting fruit directly from trees.

Founded in Israel, Tevel has created a unique solution that combines artificial intelligence, computer vision, aerial robotics, and real-time data analytics to automate one of modern agriculture's most challenging tasks—fruit harvesting.

Flying Robots That Navigate Inside Trees

Unlike traditional harvesting robots that operate from the ground, Tevel's Flying Autonomous Robots move freely through the canopy of fruit trees.

Using advanced navigation and control algorithms, the robots identify ripe fruit, precisely approach it, and gently pick it without damaging either the fruit or the tree. According to the company, this is the world's only harvesting robot specifically designed to physically interact with tree foliage while continuously flying in and out of the canopy.

The technology can harvest a wide variety of fruit, ranging from apricots weighing approximately 50 grams to apples weighing up to 700 grams, offering exceptional flexibility for orchard operators. The innovation developed by Tevel is protected by eleven international patents, underscoring the originality and uniqueness of its technological approach.

A Revolution in Orchard Management

Tevel's robots do much more than harvest fruit. Throughout the harvesting process, they continuously collect valuable data on every piece of fruit they pick.

Each operation generates detailed information about the fruit's weight, size, color, precise location within the orchard, the exact date and time of harvest, as well as the detection of potential diseases or abnormalities.

This information becomes immediately available to growers even before the fruit reaches the packing facility. With access to real-time data, orchard managers can better plan harvest operations, optimize logistics, forecast yields more accurately, and improve the overall quality of their production.

By automating the harvesting process, growers gain greater control over their operations, secure production volumes, and increase profitability.

According to the company, its system enables producers to optimize harvesting activities, improve yields, reduce fruit losses, enhance product quality, and gain unprecedented visibility into orchard performance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tp1KtHV9lTA

Tevel's innovative approach has quickly attracted international recognition within the agritech sector. In 2022, the company was selected as a finalist for the prestigious Atlas Award in the FoodTech category.

The award recognizes Israel's most innovative companies whose technologies demonstrate significant global impact. Finalists are chosen from among Israel's most promising startups through a rigorous evaluation process conducted by a panel of industry experts and partner organizations.

Helping Shape the Future of Agriculture

With autonomous flying robots capable not only of harvesting fruit but also of generating vast amounts of actionable agricultural data, Tevel illustrates how Israeli innovation is addressing some of the world's most pressing challenges.

As food security becomes an increasingly important global concern, intelligent orchard technologies such as those developed by Tevel offer a promising solution for producing more food while using resources more efficiently.

By combining artificial intelligence, robotics, and precision agriculture, Tevel is helping shape a future in which farming becomes more productive, more sustainable, and better equipped to feed a growing global population.

Caroline Haïat