Aramis II vs Astronaut Max
Two robotic barn machines, one verified table. Every figure below is sourced and dated; vendor claims are labelled and kept apart from independent results.
Rail-guided all-in-one feeding robot from Tyrolean specialist Hetwin — weighs, cuts, mixes, doses and pushes feed around the clock from an overhead rail, with two horizontal mixing augers producing a homogeneous ration from batches as small as 50 kg. Aimed at medium herds of roughly 50–150 animals; sold and serviced in Switzerland via Harvestore.
Best for: Medium dairy and fattening barns (≈50–150 animals) wanting fully automatic group-specific fresh feeding without a mixer wagon — overhead rail keeps the feed alley clear.Centralised milking architecture for large herds (announced August 2025) — up to 18 Astronaut robots share one control room for vacuum, cleaning, cooling and long-distance milk transport.
Best for: Dairy farms of 500–1,100 cows wanting robot milking without one full utility set per box.| Aramis II Verified 2026-07-16 | Astronaut Max Verified 2026-07-16 | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Task | Robotic barn | Robotic barn |
| Autonomy | Fully autonomous | Fully autonomous |
| Country of origin | Austria | Netherlands |
| Availability | Available now | Pilot / limited |
| EU market | CE-marked | CE-marked |
| Lead time | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Last verified | 2026-07-16 | 2026-07-16 |
| Specifications | ||
| Power source | Mains electric via sliding power line on overhead rail — up to 60% energy saving vs comparable systems (vendor) | Mains electric · centralised vacuum, cleaning and cooling units |
| Required tractor power | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Dimensions | Overhead rail-guided unit, sized to barn | Central control room + in-barn robot boxes (layout-specific) |
| Weight | Not disclosed | Fixed installation |
| Min farm size | ~50 animals | 500 cows |
| Productivity | Batches from 50 kg; feeding around the clock, group-specific rations | Up to 18 connected Astronaut robots · 500–1,100 cows |
| Max speed | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Sensors | Weighing cells for ration accuracy | Astronaut robot sensor suite · centralised system monitoring |
| Price & model | ||
| Price (EUR) | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Native price | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Business model | Buy via Hetwin and country distributors | Phased commercial rollout from 2026; validation farms since 2023–2024 |
| Ongoing cost | Electricity; auger and knife wear parts; service via distributor | Service contract via Lely Center; consumables centralised |
| Key outcome | ||
| Best verified result | Feeding working time -70% · vendor | — No verified outcome |
| EU context | ||
| CE marking | CE marked | CE marking expected at commercial rollout; system in validation |
| Machinery Regulation | Compliant — Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 (AT manufacturer); Swiss market access via CH–EU Mutual Recognition Agreement | To conform with Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 at market placement |
| CAP subsidy | Eligible under rural-development livestock schemes | Livestock-modernisation schemes typically apply; confirm per member state at rollout |
"—" means the manufacturer has not disclosed the figure; we never estimate silently. Model either machine's payback with your own numbers on its ROI calculator page.