Tevel Aerobotics Technologies

Tevel Aerobotics Technologies builds Flying Autonomous Robots that harvest fruit in orchards. The company is based near Rehovot in Israel. Its robots use artificial intelligence, computer vision and machine learning to pick fruit and judge its ripeness. The site says the robots work in orchards in Italy, the United States, Chile, Israel and beyond.

Harvesting robots

The robots pick selectively by colour, which the site says limits bruising and protects fruit quality. The site also says they can harvest around the clock. Each robot acts as a data agent as well, recording the quantity harvested and, for each fruit, its size, weight, timestamp, ripeness and any sign of disease. Growers see these details for each bin before it leaves for the packing house, which the site says supports sorting and lower post-harvest costs.

Customers and team

The site names the Rivoira Group of Italy, HMC Farms in California and the Unifrutti Group in Chile as customers. It states that the company is backed by global investors. Yaniv Maor is listed as founder and chief executive, and Eyal Desheh as chairman of the board. The site says the leadership brings more than 20 years of experience in robotics, artificial intelligence and industrial defence and consumer markets, and more than 30 years in automotive and automation supply.

Recognition and the labour gap

The site says the robots are meant to ease agricultural labour shortages, and it describes them as fully autonomous. It also says the company has been recognised in competitions for agriculture and robotics.

Key facts

• Based in: near Rehovot, Israel
• Products: Flying Autonomous Robots for fruit harvesting
• Markets: Commercial orchards in Italy, the United States, Chile and Israel