UK agri-tech company debuts new UV-C model for powdery mildew in strawberries at Fruit Attraction, as the company targets 300-unit global deployment by 2027
Agri-tech firm Antobot has unveiled a new autonomous robot designed to bring its UV-C technology to targeting powdery mildew in outdoor strawberry production.
The latest addition to Antobot’s range of autonomous robots, the U502 was displayed at Fruit Attraction in Madrid, due to go straight to trials after the trade show.
Unlike the company’s flagship U303 model, which is designed to operate on tabletop growing systems, the U502 has been developed to treat several rows at a time in the ground, and is expected to launch commercially in 2027.
Antobot said the move responds in part to growing interest in UV-C technology from strawberry growers, particularly in markets where a significant proportion of strawberries are grown from the ground.
The company’s technology uses UV-C light to damage the DNA of fungal pathogens, preventing them from replicating. Antobot positions the system as a non-chemical alternative to conventional fungicide applications, with treatments able to take place at night.
The new U502 model is powered by a 48V 80Ah battery that runs for roughly 2.5 hours on one charge.
As with other Antobot robots, the U502 model incorporates the company’s IN101 insight technology.
The AI-powered scouting system can monitor pest and disease, analyse crop performance, estimate yields and forecast and monitor environments.
According to Antobot, some deployments have achieved up to 95 per cent control of powdery mildew, while growers have reported yield increases of up to 30 per cent and reductions of up to 90 per cent in fungicide applications. Other reported benefits include healthier and bushier plants.
The launch also forms part of a broader shift in Antobot’s commercial strategy.
The company is aiming to deploy 300 autonomous robots in strawberry crops next year.
Having previously focused on a service-based model, the company is moving towards direct equipment sales, allowing growers to integrate the robots directly into their farm operations.
Global berry company Driscolls, and Wilkin & Sons, home to the Tiptree brand, are among Antobot’s customers.
Antobot currently operates in the UK, Spain, Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, Canada and Asia. The company said it is now looking to expand its global customer base as growers increasingly turn to robots to replace manual labour and chemical inputs.
