Australia-first trial of multi-tasking autonomous vineyard tractor

This is branded content for Duxton Vineyards

Duxton Vineyards, one of Australia's largest vineyard holders with more than 26 different varietals on vine in the Mildura and Sunraysia regions, has teamed up with Wine Australia and Smart Machine for the Australia-first trial of OXIN, an autonomous, multi-functional vineyard tractor.

OXIN is the world's first fully autonomous, multi-tasking robotic vineyard tractor, with the trial at Duxton Vineyards being the first time that the technology has been utilised in Australia following Smart Machine's success in its home market of New Zealand.

Supported by Wine Australia's agtech innovation program, the trial will put OXIN to the test under Australian conditions at Duxton Vineyard's 900-hectare Euston vineyard near Balranald, NSW, and Robinvale, with the technology providing valuable insights into vineyard operations through advanced data analysis.

The partnership of Smart Machine, Duxton Vineyards and Wine Australia combines expertise and resources, helping the local grape and wine sector to be at the forefront of agtech trends and innovation.

"As one of Australia's largest vineyards holders and a leader in sustainable agriculture and wine production, Duxton Vineyards is committed to implementing innovative technology that positively contributes to the environment," Duxton Vineyards general manager Wayne Ellis said about the partnership.

"By being the first local wine producer to trial the OXIN by Smart Machine, we are continuing our sustainability journey and doing our part to evolve farming and viticulture practices in Australia."

It is designed by Smart Machine engineer Walter Langlois and product designers Andrew Kersley and Nick Gledhill. The trio has successfully produced a fully autonomous robotic vineyard tractor that can undertake all the mechanised tractor tasks in this space.

OXIN can complete multiple tasks such as mowing, mulching and trimming, as well as weed and canopy spraying with the aid of revolutionary robotics and artificial intelligence - all while being managed by a single operator via user-friendly tablet software.

OXIN improves precision, efficiency and safety, as well as minimising environmental impact. The technology also complements the existing workforce, enabling the vineyard team to focus on higher value tasks.

Commenting on OXIN's first trial in Australia, Smart Machine CEO Andrew Kersley said: "We are committed to delivering innovative solutions for the agriculture industry and are excited to take this important step towards achieving that goal with Duxton Vineyards and Wine Australia.

"This partnership presents an opportunity to showcase OXIN's capabilities and how it can revolutionise the way that we approach viticulture.

"The OXIN machine being trialled has been designed to do different tasks to the original machines developed for the NZ market, accommodating for the differences in landscape and climate, which is also really exciting."

Dave Gerner, Wine Australia program manager - regional innovation, said on the collaboration: "With a key focus on investing in research and innovation for the local wine sector, Wine Australia is delighted to be a part of the OXIN trial in partnership with Duxton Vineyards.

"By contributing to the exploration of new technologies, we are further advancing our mission to keep Australia's wine business both profitable and sustainable. We look forward to reviewing the results and how Smart Machine's technology will be of benefit to further producers across Australia's wine regions."

Benefits include reduced costs and data analysis to inform operational decisions. OXIN promotes sustainable solutions, with the machine requiring fewer row passes, making less soil compaction and demonstrating an overall reduction in emissions.

The trial continues.

This is branded content for Duxton Vineyards