Epernay, France, Oct. 12, 2021 — YANMAR has introduced a new, technological breakthrough for wine producers – a vineyard robot that offers a host of benefits for wine growing operations of all sizes, including enhanced safety, productivity, cost reductions and versatility.

YV01 is an autonomous spraying robot that can transform the way vineyards operate. It's backed by YANMAR’s long-established, cost-effective technology and quality.

YV01 will be on show at the VITeff International Sparkling Wine Technology Exhibition from October 12-15 at Epernay, France.

With lightweight and compact dimensions, YV01 can climb and descend slopes of up to 45% and won’t compress soils in any weather conditions. It is easily transportable on a small truck or trailer, while carrying a high payload of spraying fluids.

Using an advanced spraying system, YV01 ensures that vines are precisely sprayed with the exact amount of droplets, which means less spraying fluids are required.

“YV01 offers cutting-edge autonomous technology and is flexible, lightweight and environmentally friendly as it ensures highly accurate spraying on vines,” said Yanmar Europe President Peter Aarsen. “It can be safely and simply operated by a nearby supervisor, and it is ideally suited for vineyards which have narrow pathways and where the vines are not tall. Especially suitable for small wine trees, YV01 is also a perfect supplement to larger machinery which may be used on the bigger wine producing establishments. Through a combination of cost-savings, increased productivity and escalated workplace safety, YV01 can transform vineyard operations for both small and large-scale growers by easing workloads and reducing costs.”

YANMAR’s electrostatic spraying mechanism accurately and precisely sprays plants, producing healthier and cleaner vines. The process produces a fine stream of electrically charged spray droplets which are attracted to the plant leaves so that all surfaces, even hidden ones, are treated and excess spray is reduced to a minimum.

Powered by a gasoline engine capable of extended use in the field, YV01 is entering a testing and evaluation phase with an announcement about the start of sales expected during FY2022.