German Startup eternal.ag Launches Fully Autonomous Harvesting Robot to Tackle Greenhouse Labor Shortage
German agritech startup eternal.ag unveiled Harvester, a fully autonomous tomato‑harvesting robot designed for greenhouse production. The robot can operate up to 22 hours daily, using AI‑driven vision and a modular platform that continuously learns from field data. Eternal.ag raised €8 million from Simon Capital, Oyster Bay, EquityPitcher and Backbone Ventures to accelerate European roll‑out and adapt the system to additional crops. The launch targets a 30 % decline in greenhouse labor availability across Europe, promising continuous, predictable harvests.
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Developed with Scale AI, the new AI Trainer signals a tectonic shift in robotics, moving applications from pre‑programmed scripts to fully AI‑driven tasks. The system leverages massive datasets generated in specialized AI training cells where robots imitate human operators, creating...
Caution Creeps In, But Automation Spending Holds Strong
The 2026 Peerless Research Group Industry Outlook shows companies adopting a more cautious stance on capital spending, yet automation investments remain robust. About 24% of respondents are postponing projects and 42% are adopting a wait‑and‑see approach, but interest in autonomous...
Why American-Made Propulsion Is the Future of Global UAV Missions
Northwest UAV (NWUAV) is reshaping UAS propulsion by delivering heavy‑fuel engines that run on JP‑8, JP‑5, and Jet‑A, eliminating the need for gasoline in tactical drones. The company’s all‑American, AS9100D‑certified supply chain guarantees secure, kill‑switch‑free components, aligning with NATO’s Single‑Fuel...
Anduril: New Factory Will Start Making Drone Wingman in Just ‘Days’
Anduril announced that its new Arsenal-1 manufacturing plant in Columbus, Ohio, will start producing the YFQ-44A Fury drone wingman within days, ahead of the originally slated July 2026 start. The 5‑million‑square‑foot facility, adjacent to a dual 12,000‑foot runway airport, enables...
Hong Kong: AI, Robotics Drive New Aerospace Technologies
A research partnership between Hong Kong’s Space Robotics and Energy Centre and Southeast University is accelerating autonomous space‑robotics, AI‑enabled navigation, and deep‑space energy management. The collaboration, supported by HKUST labs, targets rugged robotic platforms, precision manipulation, and modular power systems...
US Air Force Special Operations Seeks Kamikaze Drones
The U.S. Air Force is issuing a Request for Information to acquire small, one‑way attack drones for its Special Operations Command. The desired system must fly 10‑20 km, carry a 1.5‑3 kg fragmentation warhead, and be operable by one or two soldiers...
MAXOLUTION® Introduces a Standardized Mobile Robotic Platform with Contactless Charging
MAXOLUTION, an SEW‑EURODRIVE company, launched the Mobile Robot Platform 1600 (MR P1600), a standardized, modular robot designed for pallet transport in factories and warehouses. The platform offers up to 1 600 kg payload, 1.6 m/s speed, and optional contactless inductive charging via MOVITRANS solutions....
Blackwater Founder Backs Ukrainian Drone Tech Sales to US
Erik Prince, founder of Blackwater, has joined the board of Ukrainian drone‑software firm Swarmer and is championing its sale to the U.S. military. Swarmer raised $15 million in a Nasdaq offering, saw its shares jump roughly 500 % and claims its platform...
Volatus Aerospace Receives NRC-IRAP Funding to Support Condor XL Development
Volatus Aerospace announced it has been approved for up to $320,000 in non‑dilutive funding from the National Research Council of Canada’s Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC‑IRAP). The money will fund development of the Condor XL heavy‑lift uncrewed aerial system, focusing...
TEKEVER and EPE Announce Strategic Partnership to Support Advanced Autonomous Systems Capability in New Zealand
TEKEVER, a pan‑European AI‑centric defence tech firm, has entered a strategic partnership with New Zealand‑based EPE to deliver advanced autonomous systems to the NZ market. The deal combines TEKEVER’s AR5, AR3 EVO and ATLAS platforms with EPE’s local customer relationships and support...
Volz Servos Powers Quantum Systems’ Twister eVTOL with Customised Actuator Technology
Volz Servos is supplying customized DA‑15N servos, equipped with the ARINC 825 CAN protocol, to power Quantum Systems' Twister eVTOL. The servos control the aircraft’s wing flaps, a mission‑critical function for the vehicle’s vertical‑take‑off, fixed‑wing transition. Twister weighs 4 kg, can fly...
MANUFACTURING & AUTOMATION eXCHANGE (MAX) DEBUTS NEXT WEEK IN NASHVILLE, SPOTLIGHTING THE FUTURE OF ADVANCED MANUFACTURING IN THE SOUTHEAST
The Manufacturing & Automation eXchange (MAX) launches March 24‑26 in Nashville, bringing together the full manufacturing ecosystem to spotlight AI, robotics, and digital transformation in the fast‑growing Southeast. Produced by BNP Media, the event features six pre‑conference workshops, a two‑day...
Drone Wars: Countries Are Looking for Answers but Do Companies Have the Solutions?
Manufacturers are accelerating counter‑drone (CUAS) development as nations rush to buy systems for battlefield and homeland protection. Recent Middle‑East flare‑ups, including the US‑Israeli strike on Iran and Iran’s retaliatory attacks, have underscored the growing threat of uncrewed aerial systems highlighted...
Drone Spraying Proposal Comes with Opportunities, Risks
Health Canada has opened a public consultation on proposed rules that would permit pesticides to be applied by drones already registered for aerial use. The move follows years of pressure from the House of Commons agriculture committee and the Alberta...
Swapping Batteries for Hydrogen Gives Drones a Whole New Range
Researchers at Norway's SINTEF have built a hydrogen‑fuel‑cell drone that swaps its battery for a lightweight hydrogen tank, delivering multi‑hour flight endurance. The prototype can inspect long stretches of power lines, conduct search‑and‑rescue missions, and map terrain, offering a cheaper,...
K-State Salina Drone Safety Summit to Connect First Responders with UAS Experts
Kansas State University Salina will host a Public Safety UAS Summit on April 22, bringing together law enforcement, fire, and emergency management agencies with drone experts. The day-long event features FAA briefings on Part 107, BVLOS, and emergency waivers, as well as...
Former Uber CEO Says Waymo ‘Obviously’ Ahead of Tesla in Robotaxi Race
Former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick said Waymo is clearly ahead of Tesla in the robotaxi race, citing Waymo’s proven sensor suite, lower hardware costs and 400,000 weekly rides across ten U.S. cities. He contrasted this with Tesla’s vision‑only approach, which...
IdeaForge Receives Its First Purchase Order in the United States for Its Drones to Ensure Student Safety in a School...
IdeaForge Technology Limited secured its first U.S. purchase order, deploying Indian‑made drones to secure schools in Texas. The Lamar Consolidated Independent School District will use the SWITCH and Q6 V3 UAVs across 20‑25 campuses for aerial monitoring and rapid threat response....
China’s New Horse-Inspired Robot Can Haul Gear, Climb Stairs
Hangzhou‑based DEEP Robotics unveiled a limited‑edition robot horse to mark the 2026 Year of the Horse. Weighing 66 lb and standing half a meter tall, the bionic quadruped can haul up to 110 lb, climb 25 cm stairs and tackle 45‑degree slopes while...
Texas National Guard Drone Teams Support Border Partners, Strengthen Guard Readiness
The Texas National Guard’s 640th Technology Integration Cell deployed small unmanned aircraft systems to support Operation Lone Star, delivering real‑time thermal imaging and aerial overwatch for Border Patrol agents. The drones accelerated terrain assessment, enabling faster decision‑making and contributing to...
Russia Is Changing Its Drone Strike Tactics
Ukraine’s armed forces say Russia has altered its Shahed drone strike tactics, flying them at altitudes below 100 metres and deploying larger swarms. The low‑level approach hampers radar detection, while some drones are now equipped with jet engines, increasing speed....
A Multi-Armed Robot for Assisting with Agricultural Tasks
Researchers at West Virginia University introduced a force‑aware manipulation system for agricultural robots, enabling one arm to safely move plant branches and expose hidden flowers or fruit for a second arm. The method combines an RRT*‑based planner with a geometric...
Why Nozzle Choice Determines Commercial UAV ROI More Than Platform Specs
Commercial UAV spraying profitability hinges more on nozzle selection than on drone specifications. Field trials show ultra‑low‑volume (ULV) nozzles improve canopy deposition by 20‑35%, reducing chemical use and repeat passes. Mismatched nozzles increase drift risk, eroding 15‑25% of expected savings...
Agibot Stages Robot-Led Live Show to Demonstrate Humanoids Operating at Scale
Agibot staged “Agibot Night,” the first fully robot‑led live gala streamed to millions. The 60‑minute show featured humanoid robots performing dance, magic, comedy and music, while also collaborating with humans and quadruped robots. The event demonstrated large‑scale coordination across Agibot’s...
Segway Navimow Robotic Lawn Mowers Earn TÜV Certification for Minimal Lawn Impact
Segway Navimow’s X420 and i206 AWD robotic lawn mowers have secured TÜV Rheinland’s Lawn Care certification, the first for any robotic mower. The certification confirms Level 2 minimal lawn impact after a simulated year of high‑frequency mowing. Both units demonstrated exceptional...
X Square Robot and 58.com Pilot Home Cleaning Robot Service in Shenzhen
X Square Robot and 58.com have launched China’s first home‑cleaning robot service in Shenzhen, offering a hybrid solution that combines autonomous robots for repetitive chores with human cleaners for complex tasks. The pilot aims to gather real‑world performance data and...
Michael Robbins Testifies Before Congress on Risks of Chinese Robotics and AI
Michael Robbins, CEO of AUVSI, testified before the House Homeland Security Subcommittee warning that China is executing a state‑backed plan to dominate the global robotics and physical AI market. He argued that massive subsidies enable Chinese firms to flood markets...
Kawasaki Develops Collaborative Drone System
Japanese defense giant Kawasaki Heavy Industries announced development of a Collaborative Support Aircraft (CSA) program, exploring two unmanned platforms: a missile‑like system and a conventional UAV‑type aircraft. The concepts are designed for launch from ground, naval vessels, and airborne carriers...
Mitsubishi Heavy Integrates Hivemind AI Into Drone
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries completed flight demonstrations of AI‑powered mission autonomy for its ARMD UAV using Shield AI’s Hivemind Enterprise platform. The full development cycle—from AI design and training to hardware integration and flight—was finished in just eight weeks. Demonstrations took...
Royal Netherlands Navy Receives 12 V-BAT Drones
After extensive testing, the Royal Netherlands Navy has purchased twelve V‑BAT autonomous drones from Shield AI. The drones, fitted with radar and high‑resolution cameras, provide long‑duration, high‑altitude maritime reconnaissance and can operate without satellite connectivity. Control units are being installed...
Hesai Joins Nvidia Halos AI Systems Inspection Lab
Hesai Technology has joined Nvidia’s Halos AI Systems Inspection Lab, the first ANSI‑accredited facility for testing AI‑driven physical systems. The partnership obliges Hesai to evaluate its LiDAR platforms against a unified framework covering functional safety, cybersecurity and AI compliance. Hesai,...
Tourist Drones Disrupt 83 Flights, Trigger Military Action in Vietnam
In Da Nang, Vietnam, illegal tourist drones caused major disruptions, halting 83 flights over a week during the Lunar New Year. A 25‑year‑old Chinese visitor was seized with a DJI Mavic 3 Pro, and several other foreign tourists have been caught. Drones were flying...
Robotic CT Pushes Boundaries for Inspecting Complex Composite Structures
Omni NDE has upgraded its Robot CT system at the AIMM Center, adding a UR20 cobot, a 130 kV X‑ray source and a 43 × 43 cm detector. The enhancements boost payload to 25 kg and enable two‑micron resolution scans of three‑metre composite parts. Integrated Iris software...
Glencore-Owned Raglan Achieves Autonomous Haulage Milestone at Anuri
Raglan Mine, owned by Glencore, marked a milestone when its first autonomous haul truck successfully discharged ore at the Anuri underground operation in Quebec. The unload was executed from a remote control centre 14 km away using Sandvik’s AutoMine® platform, which...
Videosoft to Showcase Long-Range Drone Video Streaming at XPONENTIAL Europe 2026
Videosoft Global will demonstrate its long‑range video streaming platform at XPONENTIAL Europe 2026, showcasing a 1,000 km beyond‑visual‑line‑of‑sight (BVLOS) drone flight from Klagenfurt, Austria to Düsseldorf, Germany. The live demo uses an AIR8 medium‑lifter equipped with Gotonomi’s Velaris multi‑link module, a...
AI-Powered Robot Learns How to Harvest Tomatoes More Efficiently
Osaka Metropolitan University researchers unveiled an AI‑driven robot that evaluates the “harvest‑ease” of each tomato before attempting to pick it. The system blends image recognition with statistical analysis to select optimal picking angles, achieving an 81% success rate in field...
Saildrone and Woolpert Deploy Autonomous Surface Vessel for NOAA Seafloor Mapping
Saildrone and Woolpert have teamed up to collect high‑resolution bathymetric data for NOAA around the Mariana Islands using a 20‑meter autonomous surface vessel, the Saildrone Surveyor. The unmanned platform began mapping a 13,000‑square‑nautical‑mile area of the northwestern Pacific this month,...
Robots and AI Are Tackling some of the Biggest Challenges in Construction
The U.S. construction industry generates about $2.1 trillion annually, yet over three‑quarters of projects face delays due to fragmented monitoring and a skilled‑labor shortage. Virginia Tech and Procon Consulting have created “Mario,” a coordinated system of robots, drones, AI sensing, and computer...
New Igus Modular Autonomous Mobile Robot Platform Is Easy to Configure and Deploy
igus unveiled the ReBelMove Pro, a modular autonomous mobile robot designed for rapid, code‑free deployment across industrial settings. The compact AMR reaches 6.5 mph, lifts 550 lb, and can tow nearly 2,000 lb while mapping 2,150 sq ft in under three minutes using LIDAR, 3D...
Compostable Robot Endures over 1 Million Uses Before Becoming Plant Food
A joint research team from Seoul National University, Sogang University and Johannes Kepler University Linz has created a fully biodegradable soft robot that can endure over one million actuation cycles and then decompose into safe compost. The device uses a...
Evolve Dynamics Appoints Paul Finn-Kelcey as Chief Product Officer to Scale British Uncrewed Systems
Evolve Dynamics has hired former Dyson product leader Paul Finn‑Kelcey as its inaugural Chief Product Officer. The move is aimed at industrialising the company’s small uncrewed aerial systems—FOXE, WOLFE and SKY MANTIS 2—for the British Armed Forces and NATO allies. Finn‑Kelcey will...
Autonomous Navigation of Microrobots in Complex Flows Demonstrated for the First Time
Researchers at Leipzig University have, for the first time, demonstrated that synthetic microswimmers can autonomously navigate complex fluid flows by using their own body shape as a sensor. The team employed reinforcement‑learning algorithms coupled with real‑time optical control, enabling particles...
Humanoid Robots Are Coming, Just Not to Cook Your Dinner (At Least Not Yet)
Humanoid robots are generating buzz at IFA and CES, but the near‑term kitchen solution appears to be countertop cooking devices rather than bipedal machines. Startups such as Posha and Nosh are building appliances that combine multi‑step cooking intelligence with automated...
First NATO Support and Procurement Agency(NSPA) Call-Off Orders Placed for Parrot ANAFI UKR Micro-UAV Systems
Parrot announced that NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) has issued its first call‑off orders for the ANAFI UKR micro‑UAV, with deliveries scheduled for Q1 2026 in batches of 100‑500 units and potential scaling to thousands. The initial orders serve the Finnish...
Advantech and FORT Robotics Collaborate to Advance Safe Physical AI on MIC-735
Advantech and FORT Robotics announced the MIC‑735, an industrial‑grade edge AI system built on NVIDIA’s IGX Thor platform and powered by the IGX T5000 module. The solution embeds functional safety through NVIDIA Halos and FORT’s Nano Safety Controller Pro, delivering up to 2,070 FP TFLOPS...
Ecorobotix Reaches Milestone: 1,000 ARA Ultra-High Precision Sprayers Sold Worldwide
Swiss ag‑tech firm Ecorobotix announced that it has sold 1,000 ARA ultra‑high precision sprayers worldwide over the past five years. The AI‑driven machines deliver a 6 × 6 cm treatment footprint, cutting herbicide use by up to 95% compared with conventional broadcast spraying....
BlueBotics Bridges the Gap Between AGVs and AMRs with the Launch of SmartPass
BlueBotics introduced SmartPass, an add‑on to its ANT software suite that equips AGVs and AMRs with configurable obstacle‑avoidance while keeping them on virtual paths. The function lets robots take the shortest detour around blockages, then return to their predefined route,...
Research Round-Up: Off-Road Autonomy and Multi-Robot Collaboration
Recent research showcases Clearpath Robotics platforms powering advances in off‑road autonomy, precision agriculture, and swarm construction. The University of Rochester used a Warthog to validate the TSEASL planner, achieving smoother, more stable forest navigation. UC Riverside deployed a Jackal in...
NVIDIA GTC 2026: Universal Robots, Scale AI Launch Imitation Learning System to Accelerate AI Model Training
Universal Robots and Scale AI unveiled the UR AI Trainer at NVIDIA GTC 2026, a system that captures high‑fidelity force, torque and vision data to train AI models directly on production‑grade robots. The trainer uses a leader‑follower configuration to record...