agriculture

Antobot is moving its UV-C robots onto growers' balance sheets

The U502 is the product news. The switch from a service model to direct equipment sales is the business news.

Christian Connolly

— 2 min read
Share
Antobot U303 UV-C robot treating tabletop strawberries at night
Image: Antobot (product page) · source
AgricultureWireSpecialty Crops

The U502 is the product news. The switch from a service model to direct equipment sales is the business news.

Antobot's real announcement at Fruit Attraction in Madrid was not the U502 robot but a change in who carries the capital cost: the UK company is moving from a service-based model toward direct equipment sales. That shifts fleet capex from Antobot to growers, and it sits alongside the company's target of 300 autonomous robots deployed in strawberry crops next year.[1]

300
Robots targeted in strawberries next year
company target [1]
2027
Expected U502 commercial launch
Fruitnet [1]
~2.5h
U502 runtime per charge
Fruitnet [1]
—
U502 price
not published

The U502 extends Antobot's UV-C powdery-mildew treatment from tabletop systems, where the flagship U303 runs, to in-ground outdoor strawberries, treating several rows at a time. It goes to trials after the show, with commercial launch expected in 2027. Published specs are thin.[1]

Table · spec sheet

U303 vs U502: what is actually published

U303 from Antobot's product page; U502 from Fruitnet's launch report.
SpecU303 (tabletop)U502 (in-ground)
Growing systemTabletop (80-150 cm)In-ground, several rows at a time
Battery48 V, 80 Ah48 V, 80 Ah
Runtime per charge2.5 h~2.5 h
Weight170 kg— not published
Coverage per charge— not published— not published
Price— not published— not published
StatusDeployedTrials; commercial launch expected 2027
Sources: Antobot U303 page [2]; Fruitnet [1]. Blank is not zero.
Antobot U303 UV-C robot treating tabletop strawberries at night
The existing U303 on tabletop strawberries at night. This is not the new U502. Fruitnet's report carries a photo of the U502 at Fruit Attraction.[1][2]Image: Antobot (product page) · source

The efficacy numbers come from the company: up to 95% powdery-mildew control in some deployments, and grower-reported yield gains of up to 30% and fungicide cuts of up to 90% (per Antobot; not independently verified). Antobot's own U303 page is more modest on yield, citing 20% to 30% from "some growers". "Up to" figures are ceilings, not averages.[1][2]

Chart · company claims

Antobot's "up to" numbers

Upper bounds reported by Antobot and its growers. Not averages, not independently verified.
Powdery-mildew controlup to 95%
Fungicide reductionup to 90%
Yield increase (Fruitnet)up to 30%
Yield increase (U303 page)20-30%
Sources: Fruitnet [1]; Antobot U303 page [2]. Hatched bars mark company-reported claims. The U303-page row is plotted at its 30% upper bound.

Named customers include Driscoll's and Wilkin & Sons, owner of the Tiptree brand.[1]

Asociación Freshuelva channel (Huelva strawberry growers' association; Antobot partner) · "Antobot presents its new range of robots", uploaded 17 Mar 2026 (PT), in Spanish. Recorded before Fruit Attraction; we have not confirmed it shows the U502. · open on YouTube
Bottom lineOnce growers buy the robots outright, the purchase decision turns on fleet size and charging logistics against a 2.5-hour battery, not on what a single unit can do.

Sources

  1. Fruitnet / Fresh Produce Journal, 'Antobot unveils new UV-C robot model', 7 Oct 2026. www.fruitnet.com
  2. Antobot, U303 product page (specs, image). antobot.ai
  3. Asociación Freshuelva (YouTube), 'Antobot Product Launch Spanish 2026', uploaded 17 Mar 2026 (PT). www.youtube.com

Read more