At this year’s Agritechnica, one of the greatest attractions was a large blue robot that glided calmly over the artificial vineyard rows like a mechanical guardian of the vines. Its name is Bakus, developed by the French company VitiBot, which has been part of the Kuhn Group since 2022. This fusion of robotics, artificial intelligence, and viticultural tradition once again raises the question of how grape production will look in the near future.
Bakus is designed as a fully electric and autonomous machine intended for one purpose – to perform the most demanding vineyard operations without pause and without error. Although at first glance it resembles a futuristic vehicle from a sci-fi film, its foundation rests on thoroughly rational agricultural logic. It is built as a tall, elevated frame that moves above the vine rows, while underneath lies a platform for attaching various implements such as inter-row cultivators, weed-management tools, grass cutters, leaf lifters or sprayers. That space between the front and rear wheels replaces the function of tractor-mounted carriers, with one crucial difference: the robot works entirely on its own.
The core of the system is made up of high-resolution cameras, LiDAR sensors and RTK GPS, which allow the robot to move precisely in the centre of each row without any need for human steering. It recognises posts, leaves, wires, and even small obstacles that could endanger young vines. Once the vineyard map is set, Bakus determines its own route, speed and working parameters, while the operator merely supervises it via an app and intervenes only when necessary.
The fact that Bakus is completely electric draws special attention. Its batteries provide between ten and twelve hours of operation, depending on the configuration and tools, which practically covers an entire working day. The quiet operation and zero emissions are particularly attractive not only to organic producers but also to wineries in tourist regions where low-impact mechanisation is highly valued.
The manufacturer highlights the analytical component of the system. As the robot moves through the vineyard, it collects data about canopy density, shoot development and weed presence. These readings are transformed into precise digital maps that reveal where the vines are thriving, where they are under stress and where agronomic adjustments are needed. The greatest advantage of these maps lies in the possibility of reducing treatments and fertilisation to the minimum necessary, targeted only to the sections that require intervention.
In practice, Bakus can cover between fifteen and twenty hectares per week, which puts it in the category of robots intended for medium and large wineries. Although its price — which can reach a quarter of a million euros depending on equipment — may seem high, wineries facing labour shortages often reach a different conclusion. The increase in efficiency and the savings in labour hours are among the first reasons why this machine is already working in vineyards in France, Switzerland, Germany, and Italy.
Wherever it appears, the robot becomes a symbol of a new era in viticulture. Driverless operation is no longer a matter of the future — it is already here. Traditional tasks such as cultivating, weed control and canopy lifting are now performed without haste, without fatigue and with a level of precision that was previously unattainable. Bakus has become an example of how modern technology can support an ancient craft, not by replacing it, but by making it more sustainable and accurate.
In a time when viticulture faces labour shortages, climate challenges and the need for higher efficiency, machines like this are no longer a luxury – they are an investment that determines the future. With its quiet work, intelligent sensors and its ability to simultaneously perform field operations and analyse the vineyard, Bakus gives the impression that we are standing at the threshold of a new viticultural epoch, one in which robots such as this will become a common sight between the rows.
Source & FOTO https://www.agritechnica.com/
