Yunnan gets its first standard for trial use of apple-picking robots

A company standard for the trial use of apple-picking robots, the first of its kind in China's Yunnan province, was released at an event on 11 November, the Kunming Daily reported. It sets the robots' technical parameters and performance and standardises orchard equipment and the shape of the trees.

At the event, companies including Nongxin Technology and Fumin Woping Agricultural Development signed contracts for trial use of the robots. In a demonstration, a robot used its camera to find apples, picked them with its arm and put them in a basket, and moved around branches to avoid damaging the trees. A Fumin Woping employee started the robot from a tablet app.

Speakers at a discussion after the demonstration said changing sunlight and shade from leaves in real orchards call for long-term testing before the robots are widely used. Others suggested growing dwarf trees close together so that the fruit hangs at a height that suits machines.