Based at Champagne RenĂ© Grellet, Maxime Grellet has been running his vineyard organically since 2011 đ. Always on the lookout for innovative solutions, this year he has introduced a vineyard robot for soil cultivation.
Quiet and precise, this robot offers numerous advantages đ: it enables consistent work, approximately every three weeks â±ïž, with great precision in terms of the vine base and depth.
Currently fitted with a single-row sprayer, Maxime plans to upgrade to a double-row sprayer soon for even greater efficiency đż.
With a two-day battery life đ, it can reach speeds of up to 6 km/h, although in practice it is used at 2 to 3 km/h for optimal performance. With its four-wheel drive and steering đ, it can handle plots with gradients of up to 35%. Its weight of 2 tonnes also helps to minimise soil compaction.
The robot is controlled via smartphone đ± and guided by GPS, with all data centralised in Reims. However, it requires constant supervision: it cannot be left unattended in the vineyards. In the event of a problem, rapid assistance is available (excluding weekends) đ§.
In terms of safety, it is equipped with cameras that detect humans from 10 metres away đ and stops automatically in the event of contact. Regular updates are required, just like for a computer đ».
With a cost of around âŹ170,000 and an annual subscription of âŹ5,000, this tool represents a significant investment đ¶, but one that saves valuable time for the vineyard and its staff.
For Maxime, the robot does not replace humans: it is a new way of working, complementary to and suited to the challenges of organic viticulture đ±.
A big thank you to our member Maxime Grellet @champagnerenegrellet for sharing his experience! đ
@grandestbio @epernayagglochampagne