Thorvald by Saga Robotics

Technology Overview

• Latest revision : 10/17/2026
• Commercial release date : 2016
• Application : Treatment of powdery mildew and other diseases using UVC light as an alternative to chemical fungicides

Commercialisation Overview

• Technology Readiness Level (TRL) : 10: Market introduction - Full commercial operation
• Units in Service - Global : 200
• Business model : Direct sales / RaaS (Robot as a service)
• Price : Price depends on robot model and treatment plan. RaaS and direct sales model are available
• Ongoing Costs : Yes depending on RaaS or direct sales

Market Coverage, Distributors and Service Suppliers

• Countries or markets addressed :

  North America, South America and Europe

Performance & Economic Impact

• Estimated ROI :

  2-3 year pay back depending on machine variant and crop

• Phytosanitary Product Savings :

  Significant reductions in fuel, direct labour and chemical sprays are achieved with Thorvald

• Yield Improvement :

  5-15% depending on crop, variety, treatment plan and geographical location

Technical specifications

• Type of solution : Autonomous platform/carrier, Smart/Precision Sprayer Technologies, Other
• Power source : Electric
• Required Tractor Power : No need of tractor
• Size :
  • Metric: 2,778 x 1,950 x 2,131 cm
  • Imperial: 1,094 x 768 x 839 inches
• Net weight : 500-700 kg | 1,102-1,543 lbs depending on variant
• Min Farm Size (In hectares) : 5-15 hectares | 12-37 acres depending on variant
• Productivity : Max 6 hours continuous treatment per charge
• Maximum operating speed : 1-1.2 m/s | 3.28-3.94 fps depending on variant
• Wheel spacing : 1.4-1.9 m | 4.6-6.2 ft depending on variant
• Horse power : 20-35 HP depending on variant

Functionalities and technologies

• Core Functionality : The Thorvald robot autonomously navigates crop rows at night, delivering precisely dosed UV-C light treatment to suppress fungal diseases without the use of chemical pesticides. Key features include autonomous farm and row-following navigation a cloud-based fleet management platform (Thorvald.ai) that gives growers real-time visibility of treatment coverage and an integrated data tool that gives crop insight and yield forecasts based on daily data updates.
• Software : GPS and LiDAR provided for navigation. Cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity are provided for data upload/download. Outward and inward facing cameras are provided for crop data collection and remote autonomy support.
• Connectivity : Thorvald is autonomous and self-propelled requiring electrical charge to the battery only. Data connectivity is achieved through cellular networks or local farm networks. GPS positioning is provided through Thorvalds own RTK network.
• Compatible Tools : No 3rd party tools are yet compatible with Thorvald

Development Roadmap

• Next phase : Additional bolt on tools to increase the number of functions Thorvald is able to perform such as biologicals dispensing, weeding, mowing and canopy management.

Additional resources

No additional resources available.