Israeli AI orange-picking robot could revolutionize citrus farming

Israeli startup Nanovel hopes robots can eventually perform the labor-intensive work of picking citrus fruit.

By World Israel News Staff

An Israeli startup is developing a citrus-harvesting robot that could transform agricultural work by reducing the need for human laborers to perform the arduous task of picking oranges, lemons and other fruit.

Nanovel, an Israeli agricultural technology company, is developing a system that uses artificial intelligence and computer vision to identify ripe citrus fruit and direct robotic arms to harvest it without damaging either the fruit or the tree.

Speaking to i24 News, Nanovel CEO Isaac Mazur said the company is currently developing technology that would allow robotic arms to locate and remove citrus fruit from trees, with AI helping the system determine which fruit is ready to be harvested and how best to pick it.

Mazur described AI as the robot’s “eyes and brain,” explaining that cameras allow the system to identify individual pieces of fruit and determine the best way to grip and harvest them.

One of the primary challenges facing automated fruit harvesting is avoiding damage to the crop. Farmers must carefully remove fruit without bruising or otherwise damaging it, making the development of sufficiently precise robotic systems particularly important.

Nanovel is initially focusing on oranges, which Mazur said are relatively well suited to robotic harvesting because of their size, visibility and durability.

“Oranges [are] what we call the low-hanging fruit,” Mazur said. “It’s large, it’s very visible, and it’s tough to pick for a human being. It’s okay for a robot.”

Mazur also highlighted one advantage of robotic workers over their human counterparts when asked about the challenges involved in having a machine perform the physically demanding work.

The robot, he quipped, “doesn’t complain” and simply “does the job as [it’s] been trained.”

If successfully commercialized, the technology could help address labor shortages while lowering the cost and physical demands associated with citrus harvesting. It could also allow farmers to operate more efficiently during harvesting seasons when large numbers of workers are required to collect fruit quickly.

The potential economic impact is significant for Israel’s agricultural sector. In 2023, Israel exported $272 million worth of citrus fruits, both fresh and dried, highlighting the importance of the crop to the country’s agricultural economy.

Citrus is also a major component of Israel’s broader fruit industry, which is valued at approximately $6 billion annually.

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