The regulation of the amount of fruit on a plant or tree, that is blossom and/or crop thinning, is one of the most important measures used in intensive commercial fruit growing for achieving the required fruit size and quality in marketing. The greatest challenge for mechanical blossom thinning is the evaluation of the degree of thinning and the optimum adjustment of the spindle speed.

The Darwin SmaArt Camera System replaces the subjective estimation of the blooming strength with the eye with objective detection by camera. To do this, a camera in front of the thinning spindle detects the blossom density of each individual tree and passes on the data to the on-board computer in real time. Using a thinning algorithm, the computer then calculates the optimum spindle speed and controls the thinning unit. The thinning unit consist of a spindle on which six rows of cord bars are arranged that remove the blossom through rotation. The thinning intensity is controlled to a great extent by the spindle speed.

As an option, the system can be combined with a GPS receiver. Using the GPS system, it is possible to detect each individual tree and to assign the data, such as the number of blossoms and the spindle speed, to the tree and to compare it later with the yield data.

As a mechanical system, the Darwin SmaArt Camera System for automated blossom thinning can replace chemical or manual blossom thinning.