iPhone Pro phones, equipped with three lenses, use an app delivering machine learning to accurately size and grade fruit and show fruit size and colour development over time, and distribution graphs for size, blemishes and colour.
A collaboration between AgroFresh Solutions (a global leader in post-harvest quality solutions) and Aerobotics (a leader in orchard and packhouse analytics), is delivering a powerful orchard-to-sales tool for Australian and New Zealand apple, citrus and table grape growers.
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The partnership announced last November integrates Aerobotics’ AI-powered imaging and orchard analytics app featuring TrueFruit modules, into AgroFresh’s FreshCloud digital ecosystem, empowering growers with end-to-end technology that accurately measures yield and drives decision-making.
AgroFresh country manager for Australia Greg Montgomery says several leading Australian apple, citrus and table grape businesses have already adopted the technology, and interest continues to gain momentum.
“Aerobotics’ TrueFruit solution measures and assesses fruit externals such as size, colour and quality accurately and objectively in the lead-up to harvest while FreshCloud provides the capacity to collect, collate and analyse other relevant quality data, such as brix, dry matter, storage and transit conditions, and quality scores to drive supply chain processes and actions,” Greg explains.
Agrofresh is taking AI advances into orchards where several leading Australian apple, citrus and table grape businesses have already adopted the technology.
“FreshCloud works with multiple existing technologies from world-leading digital partners to make real-time data accessible and actionable from multiple devices including phone, laptop or tablet,” he says.
Aerobotics business development manager for APAC, Benjamin Sharpe, says growers, packhouses and marketers now have access to powerful technology which closes the gap between pre- and post-harvest datasets.
Benjamin says Aerobotics’ iOS app uses iPhone Pro phones which are equipped with three lenses and machine learning to accurately size and grade fruit and show fruit size and colour development over time, and distribution graphs for size, blemishes and colour.
He says this provides precise and objective measures that aid forecasting and estimation.
“Other features include bin scanning (for post-harvest measurements), drone scanning (to look at irrigation uniformity for example), and a pest and disease module,” Benjamin says.
“Combined TrueFruit and FreshCloud datasets provide growers with deeper information about their crop and its quality and marketability than they have had before,” he says.
“We are collecting data in a way which is easily digestible by the grower who can then make informed decisions such as when to harvest, what blocks to harvest and in what order, how many workers to organise, how many lines to run, how many boxes to order and so on.
“Growers can sort fruit such as apples by variety, size or colour and decide if produce is for the premium or bulk-buy market. This sizing feature is particularly useful when growers are packing for specific packaging configurations – it’s a logistical and economical advantage.”
Founded in South Africa in 2014, Aerobotics has had a growing presence in Australia for some seven years and New Zealand for about four.
“It made sense for us to partner AgroFresh as a global leader with more than 40 years in our industry, an established, distribution network and long-term, trusted relationships with growers,” Benjamin adds.
“Our primary focus is on citrus, apples and table grapes because our product suits those crops – and while our model can work with growers, packers and marketers equally, it particularly suits vertically integrated fruit businesses,” he says.
“In time, our plan is to roll out features of the Aerobotics system to all crop types – where it makes sense.
“The AgroFresh team is bringing Aerobotics unique and specific challenges growers face, and together we are delivering solutions that extend insights from the orchard through the post-harvest stage.”
