GPS World

Tag: irrigation

  • Trimble advances precision irrigation with uniform application for corner arms

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    Trimble’s Irrigate-IQ now has “uniform corner,” which allows farmers to apply a consistent amount of water on the area covered by a center-pivot corner arm.

    The solution prevents over- or under-watering through a uniform application, which can reduce crop stress, promote better nutrient absorption due to reduced run off and leaching, and ultimately improve crop quality and yield. In addition, it enables farmers to optimize water use. This can be beneficial for farmers located in areas with limited water resources or with water restrictions.

    Irrigate-IQ uniform corner uses advanced algorithms that enable consistent water application regardless of the position of the corner arm. Whether the corner arm is starting to extend, fully extended, or folding back, Irrigate-IQ uniform corner minimizes the risk of overlaps or gaps in application.

    Because it controls each individual nozzle based on the desired application depth and the position of the corner arm, uniform corner provides the highest level of accuracy to achieve maximum uniformity across the entire area covered by the corner arm. In addition, Irrigate-IQ uniform corner works with multiple brands of corner arm equipment.

    “Most farmers invest in a corner arm system in order to extend their irrigable land. However, typical systems do not provide consistent watering,” said Neil Douglas, Irrigate-IQ market manager for Trimble’s Agriculture Division. “This means they are not optimizing their water resources, and potentially damaging their crop and reducing yield by over- or under-watering it. Irrigate-IQ uniform corner allows farmers to extend the capabilities of their current corner arm through consistent water application to achieve the greatest return on their investment.”

    Farmers can set the field depth and let the corner arm run, or they can add Irrigate-IQ monitor and control so they can remotely manage their whole pivot. For farmers who choose to add monitor and control, they can use the Connected Farm Irrigate app to remotely keep track of pivot status, or to turn their pivot on or off or change its direction.

    Irrigate-IQ uniform corner is expected to be available worldwide in the first quarter of 2016.

  • Trimble Irrigate-IQ Solution Now Available in North America

    Trimble is making available the Trimble Irrigate-IQ precision irrigation solution in North America. Along with the North American launch, Trimble also introduced the Connected Farm Irrigate app, which provides farmers with real-time status and control of their pivot irrigation systems using a smartphone or tablet.

    The Irrigate-IQ GPS-controlled solution, which is installed on the pivot, enables farmers to remotely control their irrigators via the Internet, including performing variable rate irrigation, and receive reports about where water or fertilizer has been applied. With the solution, farmers can apply the optimal amount of water, fertigation or effluent where needed, which can improve crop quality and yield, while minimizing nutrient and chemical runoff. The solution enables farmers to conserve water use and improve efficiency, reduce energy costs for fuel and electricity, minimize input costs, comply with environmental regulations, and safely dispose of effluent. In addition, Trimble’s brand-agnostic strategy allows farmers to use the solution with most irrigator makes and models. Irrigate-IQ is also available in New Zealand.

    In addition, Trimble introduced the Connected Farm Irrigate app for use on an iPhone, iPad, Android smartphone or tablet. The app allows farmers to see the status of their pivots, including whether they are operating or not operating, in which direction they are traveling, the heading, pump pressure, pivot voltage and type of material being dispersed (water, fertigation, or effluent). It also gives farmers the ability to remotely start or stop their pivots, choose the direction (forward or reverse), turn the pump on or off or switch the type of material being dispersed. This new functionality comes in addition to farmers’ ability to remotely control their irrigators by accessing the Irrigate-IQ software on a desktop or laptop computer, rugged mobile computer or tablet.

    “Now that Trimble has expanded availability of its Irrigate-IQ solution, and launched the Connected Farm Irrigate app, farmers across North America and New Zealand will be able to monitor and control their irrigators from virtually any location,” said David Fitzpatrick, business area director of Trimble’s Agriculture Division. “Irrigate-IQ allows farmers to be more strategic with their irrigation planning, while the app creates time savings and increased efficiencies by allowing farmers to respond to weather changes or faulty equipment on the fly without being on site.”

    The Irrigate-IQ solution and Connected Farm Irrigate app are both part of Trimble’s Connected Farm solution, which includes a robust suite of recently announced features including soil analysis, rainfall totals, weather forecasts, commodity tracking, and now irrigation monitoring and control.