Autonomous vineyard tractor reaps rewards

An autonomous multi-tasking robotic tractor is paving the way for emerging technologies in Australia’s wine sector.

The OXIN tractor, by Smart Machine, was designed, developed and engineered in New Zealand, and has be showcasing its prowess during its first Australian trial at Duxton Vineyards, in the Sunraysia grape growing region.

Smart Machine says the vehicle is “the world’s first fully autonomous, multi-tasking robotic vineyard tractor”, and that is bringing its benefits to Australia, with the support of Wine Australia’s agtech innovation program, after success in its home market.

The machine has been tested at Duxton’s 900ha vineyard in a variety of conditions, completing a variety of automated tasks and providing advanced data analysis.

“As one of Australia's largest vineyards holders and a leader in sustainable agriculture and wine production, Duxton Vineyards is committed to implementing innovative technology that positively contributes to the environment,” says Duxton Vineyards’ General Manager, Wayne Ellis.

“By being the first local wine producer to trial the OXIN by Smart Machine, we are continuing our sustainability journey and doing our part to evolve farming and viticulture practices in Australia.”

The tractor, which was designed by Smart Machine engineer Walter Langlois and product designers Andrew Kerley and Nick Gledhill, can perform mowing, mulching, trimming and spraying while being managed by a single operator via tablet software. Its makers say the OXIN, which harnesses robotics and artificial intelligence, improves precision, efficiency and safety, while it requires fewer row passes, reduces soil compaction, and reduces overall emissions.

The technology complements the existing workforce, enabling the vineyard team to focus on higher-value tasks, they say.

“We are committed to delivering innovative solutions for the agriculture industry and are excited to take this important step towards achieving that goal with Duxton Vineyards and Wine Australia,” says Smart Machine CEO, Andrew Kersley.

“This partnership presents an opportunity to showcase OXIN’s capabilities and how it can revolutionise the way that we approach viticulture. The OXIN machine being trialled by Duxton Vineyards has been designed to do different tasks to the original machines developed for the NZ market, accommodating for the differences in landscape and climate, which is also really exciting.”