With 60,000 operating hours to its credit, Naïo is now looking to leverage its extensive experience with new customers for the vineyard.

“In France, TED is already at work for big brands such as Hennessy and Grands Chais de France. We have acquired a great deal of expertise on American soil with Dino: now that we have eight robots in service and over 5,000 hectares weeded, it is time for Naïo to expand its presence in the United States on the wine-growing market with TED, but also with our historical robot Oz which is about to become available throughout the United States thanks to a distribution network that is currently being deployed,”

adds Julien Laffont, Strategy and Development Manager at Naïo Technologies.

A Naïo USA office is already established with a team of 14 people

In response to a local market and to growing demands, Naïo has consolidated an office in the United States in Salinas, California.

It is a team of 14 people who work in a territory covering the whole of California, all the way down to Arizona. With Ingrid Sarlandie recently joining the team as Chief Operation Officer (COO), Naïo US reinforces its positioning:

“Naïo Technologies is the TESLA of agricultural robotics,”

says Ingrid Sarlandie.

New robots for 2022

CES 2022 will therefore mark the beginning of a year filled with new developments for Naïo Technologies.

New robots will complement its existing range of three, with the promise of a controlled, proven, and easy-to-use navigation and to its patented safety system. The team will be strengthened by new hires, in order to meet the growing demand.

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TED the vineyard robot selected at CES 2022

Naïo Technologies has been active in the United States since 2019 with Dino, its mechanical weeding robot for vegetables. The company is now taking things to the next level and CES 2022 will provide a showcase for its international opening.

“Labor issues and the need to reduce the use of pesticides are global challenges. With its autonomous agricultural robots Oz, Dino, and Ted, Naïo addresses these issues to ensure sustainable agricultural production in phase with people and the environment,”

explains Ingrid Sarlandie, COO for Naïo Technologies.

TED is participating in the global innovation show for the first time and is among the honorees for the CES Innovation Award 2022 with dozens of innovation leaders in robotics for more sustainable agriculture.

TED in “RaaS” mode for US customers as of January 2022

From January 2022 onwards, TED will be commissioned and will run demos on the RaaS – Robot as a Service – model for new customers in California. RaaS will allow wine-growers to enjoy economic benefits while quickly addressing the labor shortage they face, and it is strong market demand. With 60,000 operating hours to its credit, Naïo is now looking to leverage its extensive experience with new customers for the vineyard.

“In France, TED is already at work for big brands such as Hennessy and Grands Chais de France. We have acquired a great deal of expertise on American soil with Dino: now that we have eight robots in service and over 5,000 hectares weeded, it is time for Naïo to expand its presence in the United States on the wine-growing market with TED, but also with our historical robot Oz which is about to become available throughout the United States thanks to a distribution network that is currently being deployed,”

adds Julien Laffont, Strategy and Development Manager at Naïo Technologies.

A Naïo USA office is already well established with a team of 14 people

In response to a local market and to growing demands, Naïo has consolidated an office in the United States in Salinas, California.

Today, it is a team of 14 people who work in a territory covering the whole of California, all the way down to Arizona. With Ingrid Sarlandie recently joining the team as Chief Operation Officer (COO), Naïo US reinforces its positioning:

“Naïo Technologies is the TESLA of agricultural robotics,”

says Ingrid Sarlandie.

New robots for 2022

CES 2022 will therefore mark the beginning of a year filled with new developments for Naïo Technologies. New robots will complement its existing range of three, with the promise of a controlled, proven, and easy-to-use navigation and to its patented safety system.

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The sixth edition of the event was packed with announcements, including the presentation of new models of agricultural robots, the launch of the “AgRobotics Land” territorial brand, two awards for agricultural robotics young companies and start-ups, and two save-the-dates: the official launch of FIRA USA 2022 in October and World FIRA 2022 in December.

New models of agricultural robots at World FIRA 2021

The World FIRA is now a reference event for the announcement of new robot models by manufacturers. Thus, the company Naïo Technologies presented its brand new robot model: Orio. Intended for field crops, Orio’s main functions are seeding and hoeing.

For its part, the Danish manufacturer Agrointelli unveiled its new model Robotti LR – Long Range. Its greater autonomy and its unique engine, which uses space in the modules, for a diesel tank with a capacity of 330 liters, allow the robot to operate up to 60 hours without stopping before refueling.

As for Exxact Robotics, the French company presented its compact single-row straddle robot, Traxx, while the Rennes-based start-up Tibot Technologie presented the T-MOOV, a poultry robot with a redesigned design to meet the needs expressed by its network of more than 200 breeders who already use the Spoutnic robot.

This year, two awards were held during World FIRA.

First, the second edition of the Best Field Robot Concept 2021 (BFRC), co-organized by FIRA and Future Farming magazine announced the following winners:

• Category « Specialised » : Bale Hawk de Vermeer,
• Category « Multipurpose »: Roboter de Horsch,
• Category « Harvesting » : Eve de Ripe Robotics.

A jury of international experts selected their concepts from among the most promising robot concepts that have been covered on www.futurefarming.com in the past 12 months and those that responded to a call from FIRA and Future Farming.

At the Best Innovative Ag Robotics Startup 2021 Award, E-Terry was awarded the top prize.
The German startup was awarded for its technology, business model, market potential, and
team, among 11 startups that pitched to investors on December 7 during the World FIRA.

The new « AgRobotics Land » brand says “Bonjour” to Agricultural Robots The World FIRA 2021 was also an opportunity to present the new “AgRobotics Land” territorial brand. Inaugurated on December 7, AgRobotics Land embodies the dynamics of southeast Toulouse and its region, a center of gravity for agricultural robotics open to the French and international ecosystem. A mapping of the expertise offered by the region was presented on a dedicated stand.

About thirty agricultural robot demos

So many automated functionalities are present at World FIRA 2021. A series of workshops also provided an opportunity to take stock of the various autonomous solutions available to producers.

Livestock farming was well represented with Lely and its startups Datamole, Ilmens and
Cynomis, as well as poultry robots from Tibot and Octopus Biosafety. A workshop dedicated to harvesting and picking solutions was also a hit, with the new broccoli picking robot from Agrointelli, or the presentation of robots from Advanced. farm and Harvest CROO Robotics.

3rd Scientific Workshop by RobAgri and INRAe, in collaboration with Wageningen U&R and the University of California

For its 3rd edition, the International Scientific Workshop aims to exchange scientific
progress allowing robots to become an efficient tool for farmers.

Moderated by Roland Lenain, Director of Research at INRAE, a dozen projects were
presented in three main sessions:

• The decision of a mobile robot for adaptation to a variable context and task
• Autonomous navigation for the farm
• Interaction with farmers and acceptability of robotics

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This pioneer of autonomous agricultural robots is already celebrating its 10 years of existence and growth. To mark this occasion, the founders look back at some key dates that have made Naïo Technologies today.

Naïo Technologies’ beginnings

Aymeric Barthes and Gaëtan Severac, both robotics engineers, decided to embark on the adventure following the first discussion with farmers in Pontoux-sur-l’Adour during the Asparagus Festival held on 1 May everyday year. Their first encounter with a producer gave them the idea of creating a robot to help him and his colleagues with their time-consuming, arduous, and repetitive tasks.

After two years of sketches and trials, in 2013 Naïo Technologies was the first company in the world to market an agricultural robot in the field, called Oz, on the farm of a couple of Occitan market gardeners in Belberaud (department 31). At the time, this little assistant was perceived as a real revolution in the agricultural domain!

The story continues

The family expanded in 2016. A new range of robots made their appearance. Alongside Oz, Naïo Technologies welcomed Dino, dedicated to the mechanical weeding in large-scale vegetable fields, and Ted, dedicated to the viticulture sector.

Among other things, the French start-up accelerated its international development between 2016 and 2019 through the establishment of a distribution network in more than 25 countries: Germany, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Poland, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Canada, Hawaii, Japan, New Zealand, etc.

In 2020, Naïo Technologies conquered the United States, opening an American subsidiary in Salinas, California. With a team of 15 people now, the company offers the service provider of a robot, the famous “Robot As A Service”, which is proving highly successful.

The year 2020 also marked the launch of the second version of Ted, the robot for vineyards, and the evolution of the pioneering Oz, now fitted with new tools allowing it greater versatility and henceforth a multi-task machine.

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Oz, the versatile farming assistant used worldwide

Designed almost 10 years ago now, at the launch of Naïo Technologies, Oz has undergone many improvements since its beginnings and has won over farmers’ hearts. In just a few years, it has got better than ever. 100% autonomous thanks to its RTK GPS guidance, EC certified, very easy-to-use, electric, and super-precise, it has now become the ideal multi-task and multi-crop, environmentally friendly assistant.

It can make furrows, sow seed, hoe, weed in the row and between rows, help with harvesting and even transport loads thanks to a variety of adaptable and interchangeable tools. Oz has become a very versatile robot covering a wide range of crops: garlic, onions, carrots, salad crops, spinach, celery, sweet peppers, cabbage, squash, wicker, vine nurseries, ornamental nurseries, cut flowers, seed production, herbs, and many more.

By carrying out time-consuming, tedious, and repetitive tasks in complete autonomy, it allows the user to free up some time for carrying out jobs with a higher value-added, thus contributing to better profitability for his or her farm.

After having been first developed within France, it has very quickly been sought out by many international clients. As of now, Oz has conquered Germany, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Poland, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Canada, the United States, and New Zealand and its position in the market is continuing to expand rapidly.

Naïo Technologies is not stopping there and is actively seeking to introduce this little agricultural assistant into many other countries through the birth of new retail partnerships. Making Oz’s versatility evolve is also among future objectives. A whole range of tools to help the planting and maintenance of vegetative cover will be easily adaptable on the robot.

In just a few figures, today Oz represents:

• 150 robots sold
• 150 robots in circulation worldwide
• 6,149 missions launched since the beginning of 2021
• 300 hectares worked in 2021

Dino and Ted win a new business model

Since the beginning of the year, a fleet of seven Dinos, based in California, has been working to weed many hectares of vegetable fields every day for their American clients, operations provided as a service which has proven to be a resounding success since we currently have orders significantly above the ability to deliver.

2021 has allowed us to test the RAAS – Robot As A Service – model and realize that it works and impresses through its accessibility. A large number of the farmers in Salinas can now use the robots where this wouldn’t have been as simple with a classical sales model. They are seeing profitability from the very first day thanks to a starting cost significantly lower than that of purchasing a Dino. In addition, Naïo Technologies takes care of everything: mapping, transport, management, and monitoring of the robot on the farm for guaranteed results.

After Salinas, Dino robots will be moving on to Yuma.

The success of RAAS in America is therefore driving Naïo Technologies to actively pursue the conquest of this new business model for 2022. To do this, the leader in agricultural robotics is seeking to launch new types of partnerships (retail, franchises, R&D etc.) in the United States at first, in order to respond to growing demand, and also in all other countries where there is real potential.

Regarding Ted, unveiled in September 2020, the second version of this electric straddling robot for vineyards has been tackling new ground since its release. Its additional technological and mechanical improvements have impressed wine-growing experts and now 12 robots are in use in France.

After having proven its worth over a year, Naïo Technologies wants to move up a gear by accelerating Ted’s development through two different, yet complementary business models: the sale of the robot itself and Robot As A Service. Just as for Dino, the company is therefore seeking new partnerships (retail, franchises, R&D etc.) in France and internationally.

Already available for sale, the launch of RAAS is scheduled for January 2022 onwards. A Ted robot will soon be leaving for the United States, where it will begin providing its first services in California.

An intervention model which helps to overcome the context of technological innovation and to project robotics onto the farm’s real profitability.

Naïo Technologies is now showing technological maturity with three ranges of robots to its credit and is looking to go further than product innovation in order to win new, highly-potential markets and thus retain its place as a pioneer in agricultural robotics.

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The jury has awarded at the first position, Naïo Technologies and its robot Oz in the Machinery & Engineering category for outstanding achievements within the agricultural sector.

The German Innovation Awards honor products and solutions across sectors, which differ from previous solutions mainly by being user-centered and offering added value. They do so because there are innovations in all sectors that shape the future and improve life. Sometimes you see them at first glance – but often not. The German Innovation Awards aim to change that. They make great achievements visible to a wide audience and ensure successful positioning in the market.

The jury is made up of independent, interdisciplinary experts from industry, science, institutions, and finance. The entries are evaluated based on the criteria: level of innovation, user benefits, and efficiency. The innovation strategy should take into account aspects such as social, ecological, and economical sustainability and the use of energy and resources.

Oz is a versatile robot that assists farmers in daily activities like weeding, transporting, sowing, hoeing, etc.  CE certified, easy to use, 100% electric, and precise, Oz already convinced 150 farmers, market gardeners, and other specialized crops producers around the world. Thanks to its new 2020’s guidance system based on RTK GPS, farmers can conduct very precise operations, like mechanical weeding between 2 to 5 cm from the crop row, avoids the use of herbicide, and reduce soil compaction.

This new RTK version allows them to cover a wide set of operations: tillage, harrowing, hoeing, making furrows, sowing, planting, weeding, ridging, or transporting.

Naïo Technologies’ robots are now operating in many international countries and its position on the German market is growing even faster.

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The next generation of the BlueBob prototype robot is a six-row, fully electric, and autonomously navigating field robot, for mechanical weed control in sugar beets between the first two leaves stage and canopy closure. The project is being realized in cooperation with Naïo Technologies, the leader in agricultural robotics solutions, and the Fraunhofer Development Centre for X-ray Technology EZRT, a division of the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS. BlueBob 2.0 is equipped with Naïo navigation technology and has been enhanced with Strube/Fraunhofer technology for sugar beet detection.

The field robot is used in the phase between the first two leaves stage and canopy closure, thanks to a combination of inter-rows tools guided by the camera and in-row powered tools based on AI. This result is an almost complete elimination of weeds in the sugar beet field, i.e. between rows and between each plant.

“The weeding principle is based on distinguishing between weeds and beets in real-time and at a very early stage. This is an essential advantage for eliminating weeds quickly and to avoid competition between weeds and beets,”

emphasizes Christian Hügel, Head of Seed Quality Research at Strube. All living plants are recorded by multispectral cameras.

“Each plant position is precisely located, and an artificial intelligence algorithm is used to analyze the phenotype of each individual plant and classify it into weeds and beets,”

says Hügel.

Turning in the field is also no problem for the robot. It autonomously follows the track of the seed drill, which has recorded the RTK GPS coordinates of the driving route with an antenna on the seed drill thanks to the navigation system from Naïo Technology. BlueBob autonomously finds the rows and the tracks recognize the end of the field and turn independently into the next track on its own.

“The weeding performance around half a hectare per hour is impressive, and the autonomy of the batteries allows a continuous shift of eight hours,”

says Bruno De Wulf, Project Manager BlueBob at Strube.

Together with Naïo Technologies and Fraunhofer IIS/EZRT, Strube successfully developed an autonomous field robot for mechanical weed control in sugar beets.

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The objective of this collaboration is shared by both companies: providing end-to-end solutions allowing for a remote charging station where no connection to the electricity grid is necessary. This will be possible due to wireless solar or regenerative solutions, reducing user interaction during operation. When robots run out of battery, they will navigate to their charging trailers by themselves. Both Naïo and Varta aim to provide farmers with the possibility to make use of a robot for 24 hours without worrying about the power supply. This will be a major advantage, especially during the high farming season.

Varta sees agricultural robotics as an emerging growth market:

“Bringing our expertise and experience to ag robots means that Naïo Technologies as a market leader can focus on their core strength: making the combination of robotics and farming a full success. Varta will enable the robots to work more efficiently, as our power management solution will make charging faster, more flexible, and much easier, while our advanced battery technology will allow for higher performance,”

underlines Steve Saunders, Key Account Manager UK & France at Varta.

Two proofs of concept have been launched to test the feasibility of the solution: The first one will integrate Varta’s batteries in Oz, the first robot of Naïo Technologies dedicated to market gardeners and already used by more than 120 farmers. The robot is targeted to gain greater than 30% more autonomy. The second proof of concept consists of creating a solar charging station that can be used directly in the fields. These field charging stations will be a world-first for agricultural robotics.

“Thanks to our historical background in the agricultural robotics environment, we can easily exchange with Varta about the existing challenges from a user point of view. As for all our robots, our priority is to offer to the end-users, the farmers, an easy solution with the fewest possible constraints for their daily activities. Thanks to Varta’s renowned expertise, we are really excited to continue moving forward in this direction,”

concludes Gaëtan Severac, co-founder of Naïo Technologies.

The first prototype will be presented at the FIRA 2020, International Forum of Agricultural Robotics, taking place from 8^th to 10^th December 2020 on a digital platform.

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Already on trial since 1 July 2020 amongst Naïo Technologies’ long-standing partners – the Maison Hennessy and Bernard Magrez company – this new version will enhance user experience. Thanks to the feedback provided by about twenty winegrowers having used Ted for the last 3 years, a set of specifications was defined to help finalize this brand new version, now ready for mass production.

Ted, recently fitted with new functionalities, will considerably improve user experience during the mechanical weeding of vineyards. Ted is now equipped with a tool-holder in the middle, boasting a parallelogram lift. A wide array of machine tools can be hitched onto a multi-purpose pole, and two tools can be combined at the same time. With its robust frame, increased engine power, and speed ranging up to 3 miles/h, its hauling capacity in sloped vineyards was boosted – yet it still weighs much less than standard tractors and high-clearance machines. Ted’s new modular arches mean it can adapt to various vineyard typologies (narrow or high vines, etc.).

“We are delighted to launch this new version of Ted. Naïo Technologies has always moved forwards side by side with its users and makes a point of offering robots that meet practical needs. The improvements made to this new Ted version ensure more reliability, and mean this vineyard robot can be used as a truly autonomous tool.”

Underlines Marie Luce Fournié, COO of Naïo Technologies.

The conception and design of the platform were thought-out whilst maximizing the machine’s safety features. Safety devices were indeed included (slowing down before an obstacle and halting immediately if touched), and a remote operational monitoring system was installed – thus ensuring maximum security.

This new Ted version will be introduced mid-October during a roadshow throughout France, stopping off in several French vineyards and will be available for sale in 2021.

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Developed three years ago by Naïo Technologies, a pioneering company in agricultural robotics, Ted is the first autonomous, 100% electric high-clearance tool dedicated to the mechanical weeding of vines. The robot has quickly generated strong interest in the wine-growing sector, which is looking very closely at this solution.

More than twenty Teds are now working in various vineyards. This high-clearance tool, capable of working autonomously among the vines, responds to the sector’s current needs. Ted limits soil compaction and thanks to its mechanical weeding will allow the elimination of allow chemical weedkillers, while still remaining environmentally-friendly thanks to its entirely electric operation.

The robot is therefore continuing to improve in the hands of its wine-growing experts in terms of reliability, autonomy and safety.

“The Bernard Magrez Estate is convinced that robotisation will play a fundamental role in the mechanical maintenance of the land over the next few decades. Electrical power, the absence of greenhouse gas emissions and noise pollution are the main focus of our commitment to the environment. In this, we have developed a 4-year partnership with Naïo Technologies to perfect a robot capable of carrying out the majority of the soil maintenance work among the vines”

highlights Arnaud Delaherche, R&D Manager of the Bernard Magrez Estate.

This confidence is reinforced by a common desire to promote an innovative, technological solution already in existence and to prepare it for tomorrow: the Ted robot.

“Within the context of its commitments on sustainable wine growing and to support its partner wine producers, the Hennessy company is testing many different solutions in its vineyards to promote more virtuous wine growing. The R&D partnership project with Naïo Technologies is fully compatible with this approach. The development of the Ted robot is therefore an innovative alternative to the use of weedkillers. Its light weight and adaptability, as well as its electrical operation, are assets in view of the development of sustainable wine growing in the Charente region,”

specifies Mathilde Boisseau, Hennessy Vine and Wine Manager.

From July onwards, they will be the first ones to test the new version of the Ted robot before its official launch planned for September.

Source: Naïo Technologies

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