Key Takeaways
- Saga Robotics has scaled from a Norwegian research initiative into commercial deployments across UK strawberries and California vineyards.
- UV-C robots operate at night to manage fungal disease, reducing fungicide use and improving operational flexibility for growers.
- Growers report reduced crop loss, better plant health, and labour efficiencies linked to immediate post-treatment access.
- Saga Robotics is expanding into multi-function robotics, integrating data-driven tools and pest management applications.
- The company sees long-term opportunities in berries, wine regions, apples, and select international markets.
How Saga Robotics Evolved from Academic Research to a Global Operation: A Conversation With Pål Johan From
Saga Robotics’ story began in a university setting, where Pål Johan From led a research group dedicated to agricultural robotics. “I was a professor in agricultural robotics… and we developed quite a bit of technology,” he explained during the interview. After several years of small but steady progress, a significant investment round in 2020 marked the transition from research to commercial deployment.
Originally founded in Norway, the company quickly identified the UK as its first major market. Strawberry growers there faced ongoing pressure from powdery mildew and were open to adopting new technologies. Uniform production infrastructure — with most growers relying on similar tunnels and table systems — helped accelerate early scaling.
Grower adoption was gradual but consistent. Today, the company’s robots treat around 20% of all strawberries grown under tunnels in the UK, a figure expected to rise to 30% next season. The company also treated almost 1300 acres of grapevines in California and is planning to triple this next season — making it one of the largest autonomous robotic disease-control deployments in horticulture.
