Key Takeaways
- Saga Robotics completed its largest operational season to date across the United States and United Kingdom, marking record growth in autonomous coverage and data services.
- The company achieved 97% uptime across more than 150 Thorvald robots, logging 200,000 autonomous kilometers—three times more than last year.
- Thorvald units treated 1,300 acres of vineyards in California and covered 20% of the U.K. tabletop strawberry market.
- New hardware and data innovations from Saga Robotics are advancing precision agriculture and sustainable crop management.
Saga Robotics Strengthens Global Presence in Agricultural Automation
Saga Robotics reinforced its position as a leader in agri-robotics with its most successful operational season yet. The company’s Thorvald autonomous platform continued to deliver high reliability, achieving 97% uptime across multiple markets. Robots collectively logged 200,000 kilometers—equal to five trips around the globe—while performing more than 80,000 hours of UV-C disease treatment operations.
“Precision is critical,” said Professor Pål Johan From, Founder and General Manager, U.S. at Saga Robotics. “Our UV-C technology disrupts fungal DNA at the molecular level, so every pass and dosage must be scientifically optimized. After years of research and deployment, we’ve refined the process to deliver consistent, measurable results.”
In California, the company plans to triple vineyard coverage in 2026 and launch a new Thorvald model designed for vineyards, featuring larger wheels, upgraded suspension, and improved terrain handling. In the U.K., Thorvald systems now service 20% of the tabletop strawberry market, with targets set to reach 30% next season.
Saga Robotics Expands Data Services for Growers
Beyond autonomous disease control, Saga Robotics is growing its role in data-driven agriculture. In vineyards, the company’s systems now detect and count grape clusters automatically, providing real-time yield predictions that replace manual scouting.
In U.K. strawberry farms, Thorvald robots are already counting millions of fruits and flowers nightly, enabling growers to track crop development with precision. Partnerships with Chambers Farm and Bitwise have demonstrated how automation can deliver better planning and resource efficiency.
“I’m surprised how quickly our business has adopted this technology,” said Salih Hodzhov, COO of WB Chambers Farms. “If you grow strawberries on tabletop systems, you must have this technology. The results are enabling us to scale faster.”
Responsible Growth and Sustainable Impact
Operational upgrades this season included autonomous convoy travel, enhanced safety systems, and real-time performance monitoring through a 24/7 operations center. These improvements helped ensure reliability across diverse farming environments.
“We’re scaling responsibly while focusing on delivering reliable, repeatable results for commercial growers,” said Sacha de La Noë, CEO of Saga Robotics. “Our technology consistently performs under pressure, delivering environmental and economic value at scale.”
During 2025, Saga Robotics’ operations eliminated 133 tonnes of fungicides, avoided 4,450 tonnes of CO₂ emissions, and reduced worker exposure to chemicals by over 85,000 hours—reinforcing the company’s contribution to sustainable agriculture.
Saga Robotics
Saga Robotics develops autonomous robotic solutions designed to support growers in optimizing production efficiency and reducing input use. Its flagship platform, Thorvald, enables tasks such as UV-C treatment for powdery mildew in strawberries and grapevines, as well as flower and fruit counting for yield forecasting, runner cutting, and the dispensing of predatory mites.
Established in 2016 by Pål Johan From and Lars Grimstad, the company employs around 50 people and maintains operations in Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
