| Precision Agriculture is an ever-changing area that is | | | | system would have to be used in conjunction with a |
| beginning to become commonplace on even the | | | | GPS controller. This allowed the user to come into a |
| smallest of family farms. With new technologies | | | | field and set an A B line, or Heading Line, for the |
| emerging every day, how do you stay on the cutting | | | | autosteer to follow. Some autosteer systems tie into |
| edge without going broke? To answer that question | | | | the machines steering hydraulics and allows the |
| we will take a look at how the precision-ag field has | | | | system to take control of the steering system to |
| changed over the years by exploring the reasons | | | | keep it online - while there are others available that |
| behind the evolution of the technology including | | | | attach to the actual steering wheel and use servo |
| automatic rate controllers, automatic boom leveling | | | | motors to steer the machine. This technology allows |
| systems, autosteer, and automatic boom shut-off | | | | a user to focus more of their attention on other |
| and their practical applications. | | | | monitors that are located in the cab instead of |
| What qualifies as precision-ag | | | | constantly fighting the battle to keep his sprayer in |
| First let's take a look at what is precision-ag? Many | | | | the row he was applying in. This feature was also |
| farmers are already utilizing elements of the | | | | able to greatly cut down on user fatigue at the end |
| precision-ag field and don't even realize it. Precision | | | | of the day. |
| Agriculture can be defined as an agricultural concept | | | | Automatic Boom Section Shut-off |
| relying on the existence of in-field variability. It | | | | The automatic boom shut-off capability came about |
| requires the use of new technology such as GPS, | | | | and started to make great improvements in the |
| sensors, satellites, and aerial images, as well as field | | | | application world. It allowed the operator greater |
| management tools to assess and understand | | | | control of their application out in the field. It didn't |
| variations in the field. Precision-ag can include anything | | | | take long before the savings began to ring true for |
| from a sprayer equipped with GPS, Automatic | | | | many of the users of this product. With the use of |
| Steering, and Automatic Boom Shut-off Control, to | | | | GPS tracking, a farmer was able to travel through |
| simply a sprayer equipped with an automatic rate | | | | the field at greater speeds as well as be less fatigued |
| controller. But how does this affect you and your | | | | at the end of the day. The automatic boom shut-off |
| way of application. | | | | was designed to work with the GPS guidance so that |
| Automatic Rate Controllers | | | | if you came to an area where the "painting on the |
| Let's start easy, let's take a look at how a simple | | | | screen" had showed that you had already applied |
| automatic rate controller can affect how you spray. | | | | that area, the automatic boom shut-off would |
| Gone are the days of controlling your application rate | | | | automatically shut off your boom sections as you |
| by adjusting you speed and pressure by watching | | | | came into that area. This did away with the need to |
| the gauges. With the use of an automatic rate | | | | always be looking over your shoulder to see when |
| controller a user was able to select a target rate and | | | | you had entered an "already applied area" and |
| enter it into his controller. Then with the use of the | | | | manually shutting off those boom sections. It also cut |
| controller, a flow meter, a control valve, and a speed | | | | down on the overlap that an applicator would have |
| sensor, this automatic rate controller was able to | | | | to maintain just to make sure that he had covered |
| control your application rates for you so that you | | | | the entire area. If you would try and overlap too far, |
| could stay on target. Inside the controller, a number | | | | the auto shut-off would simply shut that section off |
| of calculations were constantly happening to make | | | | so that you were not wasting you chemical. This |
| sure that if you were set for five gallons to the acre, | | | | ultimately led to the need for breaking the sprayer |
| so no matter what speed you were going you would | | | | booms into many more sections. It has gone from 1 |
| be able to achieve this. And if the controller could not | | | | section, to 3, to 5, and now to 10 sections from |
| make that happen, it would tell you. The controller | | | | most manufactures of self propelled sprayers. With |
| takes constant readings from your flow meter and | | | | the use of autosteer, and automatic boom shut-off, |
| your speed sensor to determine how far to open | | | | this called into question the need for greater |
| your control valve. By doing this it is controlling how | | | | accuracy of the GPS signal than what was currently |
| much product to send out to your spray tips and | | | | being used. |
| how fast it was getting there. This was a huge | | | | Different types of GPS signal |
| breakthrough in the spraying industry, but once the | | | | As GPS was first picked up in the agriculture industry, |
| gates opened to accepted new technologies, more | | | | a form of the Coast Guards beacon signal was first |
| was quickly coming down the lines. | | | | used. This quickly gave way to the Wide Area |
| Automatic Boom Height Leveling | | | | Augmentation System or WAAS Signal. WAAS has |
| Boom leveling systems, were quickly introduced to | | | | been adapted by the ag world as a free GPS signal |
| not only cut down on pricey repairs if ones boom | | | | solution. The problem with using the WAAS signal is |
| height was overlooked and struck the field, but also | | | | that there are discrepancies with the quality of the |
| to cut down on operator fatigue. The auto height | | | | signal. WAAS generally runs a 15 minutes 7-11 inch |
| leveling does not need GPS technology to operate, | | | | pass-to-pass accuracy. Although this may seem like a |
| but is still an intricate piece of technology. There are | | | | very accurate signal when you are talking about |
| two basic styles of auto-height leveling available | | | | spraying fields that are hundreds of acres, on the |
| today, one that uses ultrasonic sensors and one that | | | | grand scale of things, it could be better. Many newly |
| utilizes a gauge wheel to detect ground height. The | | | | available forms of GPS, that are much more accurate |
| wheel style uses gauge wheels that are attached to | | | | than WAAS, have begun to take hold in the world of |
| the booms and skip across the ground as you are | | | | ag. You have solutions like Omnistar, which is a |
| applying. The ultrasonic sensor style utilizes ultrasonic | | | | subscription based corrected differential that uses |
| sensors that are attached to the boom and can read | | | | satellite broadcast techniques for sub-meter accuracy. |
| either the height of the boom off the ground, or off | | | | Or you also have the Real Time Kinematics (RTK) |
| the crop canopy. Both systems tie into your existing | | | | solution which is also a subscription based signal. The |
| hydraulic system of your boom controls. The wheel | | | | RTK is a repeatable sub-inch accurate subscription |
| system works by touching the ground and a | | | | based signal. It can be provided in 2 different |
| pressure transducer then detects a larger amount of | | | | methods: through radio frequency or through cellular |
| pressure on that boom. Almost instantly that boom is | | | | data. The traditional radio frequency systems were |
| raised slightly until the pressure is relieved. With the | | | | always a high investment as they included the |
| ultrasonic sensor system, the user will select a | | | | purchase of radio towers and functioned on repeater |
| spraying height that he would like his booms to stay | | | | systems. They generally have a distance restriction |
| at, and as the sprayer travels through the field these | | | | of about 8-10 miles and also have line-of-sight |
| sensors take constant readings of the ground or | | | | restrictions. But if you are in the network, you |
| canopy. As ground or canopy height changes, the | | | | generally pay a subscription to the owner of that |
| sensors will send a signal to the solenoids to either | | | | base station to receive their signal. Now with the |
| raise or lower the boom as to keep the height | | | | new wireless technologies, there are some RTK |
| consistent with the original height setting. With the | | | | providers that are shifting to deliver their corrected |
| pressing task of always having to keep your booms | | | | signals via wireless communications. Some wireless |
| out of the dirt, the only major struggle to tackle was | | | | RTK services can provide a 30 mile radius with no line |
| to make the machine steer itself. | | | | of sight restrictions and still provides you with the |
| Global Positioning Systems (GPS) | | | | sub-inch accuracy of a traditional radio RTK system. |
| With the introduction of Global Positioning Systems | | | | There are technologies that also are adaptable to run |
| (GPS) into the agriculture world, huge advances were | | | | off of the already existing Constant Operating |
| quickly made such as the introduction of GPS | | | | Reference Station (CORS) networks that are |
| guidance onto the open market. Now a farmer could | | | | available for free in some states like Iowa, Ohio, and |
| simply use his setup with the automatic rate | | | | Indiana. The CORS networks functions the same |
| controller and have the GPS guidance system | | | | way, providing sub-inch accuracy via a wireless |
| attached to it. By doing so, one was able to have | | | | communication. |
| GPS Guidance available in their sprayer. You not only | | | | This has been just a quick walk through of Precision |
| had the auto rate controller controlling you application | | | | Agriculture and the developments in technology thus |
| rates, but also the GPS guidance system would "paint | | | | far. As we continue to progress into the future, |
| the screen" to show you exactly where you had | | | | there are still many different aspects of precision-ag |
| already applied in that field. You also now had the | | | | that have yet to reveal themselves. When deciding |
| capability to see if you had over or under applied any | | | | to partake in the benefits of the precision-ag market |
| certain areas, or had any "skips" in your application so | | | | one must realize, "What works for my neighbor, may |
| that you could easily go back and "touch up" those | | | | not be what's right for me." So we suggest you ease |
| areas. With this, farmers were quickly introduced to | | | | into this and to not get caught up in the latest and |
| data logging and being able to easily keep track of | | | | greatest technologies out there. Rather, make a |
| their chemicals and application rates for specific jobs | | | | careful assessment of what you are capable of and |
| in the field. With the addition of GPS tracking, it was | | | | what works well for you. As this market grows and |
| only a matter of time before automatic steering | | | | evolves, there are always going to be people |
| became a reality. | | | | upgrading their systems to the highest technologies |
| Automatic Steering Control | | | | as well as those that are just getting their feet wet. |
| This brought on the introduction of autosteer | | | | So after a careful look at what you are trying to |
| Systems. With the addition of autosteer, a user was | | | | accomplish with your applications, you can make an |
| able to set up guidance paths in the field that would | | | | informed decision on what technology is right for you. |
| be able to be followed quite accurately. An autosteer | | | | |