SAPER
Questions Answered
Everything you need to know about SAPER — the world's first autonomous coconut sap tapping robot.
What is SAPER?
SAPER is the world's first autonomous coconut sap tapping robot, developed by NAVA Design & Innovation. It is a solar-powered, IoT-enabled device that performs precision micro-cuts on coconut flower buds every 6 hours, collects sap through a sealed pipeline to a ground-level container, and sends real-time yield data to a mobile app.
What problem does SAPER solve?
Coconut sap collection is held back by unsafe tree climbing, uneven manual work, open collection, scarce skilled tappers, and limited scalability. SAPER responds by moving critical work into an automated device: precision cutting, closed collection, automated cleaning, ground-level collection, and remote monitoring.
How many climbs does SAPER eliminate?
Each SAPER unit eliminates over 10,000 dangerous manual tree climbs over a 7-year operational life — protecting workers from falls, fatigue, and injury while maintaining 24/7 operations.
By how much does SAPER increase sap yield?
SAPER increases sap yield by +10% compared to manual tapping. Precision micro-cuts every 6 hours — four times more frequently than manual tapping — produce a consistent, measurable increase in sap flow per tree.
How does SAPER work?
SAPER operates in three steps: (1) Flower Preparation — manually bend the flower bud below horizontal. (2) Installation & Initialization — install SAPER and initialize tapping via the mobile app. (3) Ground-Level Collection — collect pure neera from the sealed container at the base of the tree. SAPER handles all cutting autonomously from step 2 onwards.
How do farmers control and monitor SAPER?
SAPER is initialized from a mobile app. After setup, the device performs tapping autonomously and sends useful operating data back to the farmer. The IoT-enabled system syncs yield data, cutting logs, and collection-ready alerts, giving farmers visibility without repeated climbs.
What power sources does SAPER use?
SAPER supports three power sources: (1) Solar Panel — completely grid-free, (2) Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery — swappable cells, and (3) Grid Power via AC-DC Adapter. Hybrid combinations are also supported.
How does SAPER ensure sap purity?
SAPER protects the flower-to-container path with a sealed hopper, blocking outside contaminants such as dust, rainwater, insects, and animals. After collection cycles, the system runs pressure-wash sanitization so the collection path stays clean without requiring a tapper to climb back up the tree. The result is ground-level collection with 0% impurities.
Does SAPER damage the coconut tree?
No. SAPER is designed around controlled, precision micro-tapping. The system cuts only the flower tip at calibrated intervals, extracting the sap that the coconut tree naturally produces. Pilot farms have shown no reduction in nut yield.
What flower sizes does SAPER support?
The current commercial unit supports coconut flower stalks up to 100 mm in diameter, covering the vast majority of commercial coconut varieties across India, Southeast Asia, and Sri Lanka. The product roadmap includes future variants for fishtail palm and palmyra.
Is SAPER patented?
Yes. NAVA holds granted utility patents in 12 countries. The NAVA brand and SAPER product name are also protected through registered trademarks. The patent portfolio signals that SAPER is a deeply developed product with years of field research behind it.
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