Polly+
Robotic pollination solution for greenhouse tomatoes and cucumbers
DescriptionOverview of the initiative and its approach.
Polly+ is an autonomous robotic system that replicates buzz pollination in greenhouse tomato and cucumber production. Designed to replace traditional bumblebee hives and manual labor, it operates in challenging greenhouse conditions (e.g. LED lighting, cold climates).
TechnologyTechnology used by the initiative.
Polly+ employs onboard AI and computer vision running on NVIDIA Jetson modules to detect flower maturity. It navigates down greenhouse rows autonomously and performs non-contact pollination by calibrated air pulses. Fleet management is conducted via a tablet-based dashboard showing robot status, battery, and pollination progress. One Polly+ robot can handle a full hectare. One operator can manage up to 20 robots.
TargetUsers, groups, or communities targeted by the initiative.
The primary users of Polly+ are high-value greenhouse operations growing tomatoes and cucumbers.
Business modelHow the initiative delivers and sustains its value.
Polly+ is available via a lease-based or per hectare subscription model. Contracts include ongoing technical support, firmware updates, and data services.
ImpactThe observed or intended effects of the initiative.
According to the company, Polly+ automates pollination in high-value greenhouse crops such as tomatoes and cucumbers, and it supports yield increases of 5–20 percent, improves operational consistency and reduces labor dependency. It addresses challenges linked to declining pollinator populations, and suboptimal pollination in controlled environments, contributing to improved productivity and resilience in greenhouse production.
Four BettersThe FAO Four Betters supported by the initiative.
Better production
