UK wine robot project secures £475k funding boost

News

Cambridge agricultural robot specialist Autopickr, has received £475,000 in Government funding to develop an advanced robot for the UK wine sector.

Working in partnership with Coopers Croft Vineyard in Suffolk and trade body WineGB, , Autopickr is now developing a new robot - named ‘Vinny’  - which will be capable of performing multiple key vineyard tasks including hand-picking and assisting with green harvesting and canopy management. 

Most machine harvesters agitate the vines to extract grapes, meaning that whole bunches can only be picked by hand. Many wine producers, particularly those that make premium traditional method sparkling wine, insist on the use of whole bunches.

Commenting on the project, Robyn Sands, Co-Founder and CEO of Autopickr, said: “We’re pleased to be collaborating with British vineyards to bring new robotic solutions into the wine industry. Our focus is on providing a practical tool that can take on some of the labour demands in the vineyard, especially during the busiest times of the year, while helping maintain the quality that matters so much in winemaking.”

The UK wind industry is currently enjoying a period of sustained growth. This year, vineyards in the UK surpassed the 1,000 milestone for the first time, whilst  the  area “under vine” now stands at 4,209 hectares, representing a growth rate of 123% in a decade.

According to the South Downs National Park Viticulture Growth Assessment Report (2021), vineyards employ 17 times more people per hectare than traditional arable farming. With 2,300 people working full-time, and a further 8,300 employed in seasonal or part-time labour in the British wine industry, this robot is intended to help vineyard managers with labour challenges without sacrificing quality and attention to detail. 

Phoebe French, Communications Manager at WineGB, commented: “With a 50% growth rate in full-time equivalent positions forecast by 2025 in our industry, this project has the potential to supplement skilled labour required in the vineyard, particularly at busy periods such as harvest.”

Based on a modified version of  Autopickr’s  automated asparagus harvester, which is due to undergo trials next year, the new robot will be able to travel up and down slopes, operate at fruit zone height, distinguish between unripe and ripe grapes using an artificial vision system, and pick whole bunches once they are ready.