Autonomous raspberry-harvesting robots enter UK commercial trials
Source: HD.com
During a visit to the company's facility at Cambridge Innovation Park, the MP for Ely and East Cambridgeshire heard how investment from venture capital firm Elbow Beach has enabled Fieldwork Robotics to develop its autonomous berry-harvesting technology, expand its team, increase manufacturing capacity, and prepare for commercial deployment with growers in the UK and internationally. With the backing of investors like Elbow Beach, Fieldwork Robotics is developing advanced robotics for agriculture, helping farmers address labour shortages, improve productivity and strengthen the long-term resilience of food production." Following initial technology development and validation, the company is entering its scale-up phase, with commercial trials of its autonomous raspberry-harvesting robots taking place on farms across the UK and further international trials planned.
UK Private Capital data shows that, as of 2025, private capital supports 194,000 jobs and 935 businesses across the East of England and contributes £13 billion to regional GDP. When labour shortages mean growers can't harvest what they've managed to grow, that waste compounds – and that's exactly the gap our robots are built to close." Michael Moore, Chief Executive of UK Private Capital, said: "Fieldwork Robotics is a great example of the cutting-edge innovation that is backed by private capital." Jonathan Pollock, CEO of Elbow Beach, said: "We first backed Fieldwork in 2023 when the technology was still being validated.
Our funding has helped Fieldwork move from validation into full commercial deployment, with new farm trials underway in the UK and international expansion on the horizon." © Fieldwork Robotics For more information: Fieldwork Robotics Tel: +44 (0) 1223 210 376 Email: [email protected] www.fieldworkrobotics.com Publication date: Fri 4 Sep 2026 Related Articles → See More Autonomous raspberry-harvesting robots enter UK commercial trials AI-driven strawberry cultivation through commercial smart platform Terrazza MC expands Geotex PRO range UK: NFU helps secure Seasonal Worker Scheme visas for 2027 "Automation turns greenhouse covers and protected structures into an active growing tool" "Good data will help us make the case for horticulture" “Automation is gaining ground in Argentina’s hydroponics sector” Robot dogs reduce grape harvest workload by over 70% in China UV-C robots treat over 1,500 acres of California strawberries Yard tractor at the distribution center or a truck with driver? Related Articles Autonomous raspberry-harvesting robots enter UK commercial trials AI-driven strawberry cultivation through commercial smart platform Terrazza MC expands Geotex PRO range UK: NFU helps secure Seasonal Worker Scheme visas for 2027 "Automation turns greenhouse covers and protected structures into an active growing tool" Related Articles "Good data will help us make the case for horticulture" “Automation is gaining ground in Argentina’s hydroponics sector” Robot dogs reduce grape harvest workload by over 70% in China UV-C robots treat over 1,500 acres of California strawberries Yard tractor at the distribution center or a truck with driver?
Why this matters: For operators, this is a water-management story. The useful signal is that direct substrate measurements can help cut drain loss materially without giving up yield or fruit quality, which is exactly the kind of controllable efficiency gain a facility can build on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does substrate sensing matter in free-drain strawberry systems?
Because drain percentage tells a grower what already happened, while substrate moisture and EC data show root-zone conditions directly. That makes it easier to cut water loss without guessing.
What is the operator takeaway from this trial?
If the thresholds are understood well enough, growers can reduce drain water materially while protecting yield and fruit quality, which makes sensing an operational tool instead of a reporting tool.
