Autonomous farming robot is recognised for its role in transforming agriculture by replacing chemical fungicide treatments with light
Saga Robotics has been named to Time’s List of the Best Inventions of 2026 for Thorvald, its autonomous agricultural robot that is ”changing how crops are protected and grown”.
According to the company, in 2026 alone Thorvald is treating an estimated 30 per cent of the UK’s tabletop strawberry production and protecting approximately 2,500 acres of California vineyards.
This, it said, demonstrates how autonomous, carbon and chemical-reducing crop protection can operate across major agricultural industries.
“To be recognised by Time as one of the Best Inventions of 2026 is an extraordinary moment for Saga Robotics and everyone who has helped bring Thorvald to life,” said Sacha de La Noë, CEO, Saga Robotics.
“The team behind this technology believes the future of agriculture is far less dependent on chemicals. Thorvald is proving that this future is already possible.
”What began as an ambitious idea in Norway is now transforming commercial farming in the UK and United States. And we’re only getting started,” he enthused.
Thorvald involves a ”radically different” approach to crop protection that Saga Robotics calls ‘Farming with Light’.
Operating autonomously and at night, Thorvald uses UV-C light to control powdery mildew and other diseases in vineyards and strawberry crops, ”dramatically reducing” the need for conventional fungicide applications.
Its modular platform also collects crop intelligence, helping growers make more informed decisions while reducing the environmental footprint of food and wine production.
“We designed Thorvald so that every pass through the crop does more than one job,” said Damian Flynn, chief product officer.
“The same pass that protects plants with UV-C light also captures the images growers such as WB Chambers now use to forecast their harvests.”
CTO and co-founder Lars Grimstad noted: “Time’s recognition reflects years of development effort alongside growers in the UK and California, and we’ll keep building on that same platform.”
Salih Hodzhov, COO, WB Chambers Farms, pointed out that one of the biggest commercial challenges in the berry industry is accurate crop forecasting – and getting it wrong can cost the business millions each year.
“Saga’s robots move through our strawberry crops twice a week, applying UV-C for disease control while simultaneously capturing detailed images of the fruit and flowers across the crop,” said Hodzhov.
”We’ve been working with Saga on crop forecasting for two years, and we’re seeing significant improvements in our ability to predict harvest volumes accurately.
”What makes the collaboration particularly powerful is that data is being captured consistently and at scale as part of an operation the robots are already performing in the crop,” he outlined.
“For me, if you’re growing strawberries anywhere in the world, these are becoming essential technologies.”
Thorvald’s journey began in 2014 as a master’s project at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences.
Founded in 2016, Saga Robotics has since transformed that early concept into one of the world’s leading commercially deployed autonomous agricultural platforms.
”Thorvald’s inclusion among the 300 inventions recognised in 2026 places Saga Robotics alongside innovators pushing the boundaries of technology and redefining what’s possible across industries,” the company added.
”For Saga Robotics, the recognition comes as demand for autonomous farming solutions continues to grow, driven by increasing pressure to reduce chemical use, address labour challenges, and improve the sustainability and efficiency of agricultural production.”
