A HERE CITY site 
Driverless orchard tractor: Kubota and Agtonomy open 2027 pre-orders for autonomous M5L
The autonomous M5L low-profile tractor targets spraying, mowing and underplant cultivation for orchard and nut growers. Here are the specs and the questions to ask before ordering.
Key takeaways
- Kubota and Agtonomy opened pre-orders for an autonomous Kubota M5L orchard tractor, with deliveries in 2027.
- Target jobs: spraying, mowing, sanitation mowing and underplant cultivation under tree canopies.
- Reported specs for the M5L-111: 114-hp Kubota V3800 diesel, 1,750 kg three-point lift (2,175 kg with assist), up to 67 L/min hydraulic flow.
- No price yet. Ask your dealer about supervision, support and how your block layout fits.
Orchard and nut growers short on skilled labor are getting another option for driverless field work. Kubota North America and autonomy-software company Agtonomy have introduced an autonomous version of the Kubota M5L low-profile tractor. Growers can pre-order it through Kubota dealers for delivery in 2027.
What it does
The companies say the autonomous M5L targets core orchard jobs: spraying, mowing, sanitation mowing and underplant cultivation. It’s built on a tractor growers already know, with a sloped hood and branch guards for working under tree canopies. That’s the pitch Agtonomy has made with each machine it automates. Rather than build a robot from scratch, it adds autonomy to familiar equipment that local dealers can service.
The M5L is the third model to get Agtonomy’s system, following two earlier platforms: Bobcat’s CT4045 compact tractor and Kubota’s own low-profile M5N. Kubota positions the M5N for narrow-row work, while the M5L brings lift capacity and a broader set of orchard applications.
The specs
Future Farming, which saw the tractor at its launch at the FIRA USA robotics show in Yakima, Wash., reported these numbers for the M5L-111:
- Kubota V3800 diesel rated at 114 horsepower
- 32 forward and 32 reverse speeds (48×48 with the creep option)
- Three-point lift of 1,750 kg standard, or 2,175 kg with an optional assist cylinder
- Hydraulic flow up to 67 liters per minute
The autonomy stack matches the M5N’s, though components such as the sensor suite under the rollbar sit in different places to fit the M5L’s frame. Kubota hasn’t announced a price.
Why it matters for specialty crops
Labor is the bottleneck in orchards. Spray and mowing passes are repetitive, run on tight timing windows and often need skilled operators who are hard to find. “As a specialty crop grower myself, I know how much orchard work depends on having the right equipment and skilled people available when the job needs to get done,” Agtonomy CEO and co-founder Tom Bucher said in the launch announcement. Kubota’s Don Lowe called the expansion “another vital step towards the commercialization” of autonomy for specialty growers.
Questions to ask before you pre-order
- Which jobs come first? Repetitive spray and mowing passes are the most obvious early candidates. Cultivation near trunks needs more confidence in the system.
- What’s the supervision model? Ask how many machines one person can monitor, and what happens when a unit stops.
- Dealer support. Kubota says dealers will help integrate the technology. Find out who on your dealer’s staff is trained on it.
- Your block layout. Row spacing, headlands and canopy height all affect how much of your acreage can run autonomously.
With autonomy moving from pilots to order books, 2027 could be the first season many orchard operations run a driverless tractor next to their crews.
Get the Daily Ag Business Briefing
Markets, policy and farm business in one free email each weekday.
