Tag: precision agriculture

FAA Grants 30 More Commercial UAS Exemptions

The PrecisionHawk UAV.

The Federal Aviation Administration has approved 30 more commercial unmanned aircraft systems exemptions, bringing the total number of approved operations to 99, reports AUVSI News. AUVSI is the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International.

Among those receiving exemptions are the insurance companies USAA and AIG. USAA said in a press release that the exemption “could help speed review of insurance claims from its members following natural disasters.” USAA plans to fly the PrecisionHawk drone.

USAA also filed for an additional FAA exemption in November that will enhance USAA’s ability to use drones in catastrophes. That exemption petition is pending approval, and a decision is expected soon.

Other companies receiving exemptions include senseFly for precision agriculture, and AeroVironment for agriculture, aerial survey and patrol applications.

April 8, 2015
Tallysman GPS/GNSS Antennas Available in Australia, New Zealand

TW4421 wideband dual-feed GPS/GLONASS antenna.

Two dual-feed GPS/GLONASS antennas from Tallysman’s GNSS antenna range are now available in Australia and New Zealand through M2M Connectivity. Tallysman is a Canada-based developer of high-performance GNSS antennas focused on the requirements for precision and multi-constellation GNSS receivers.

Featuring a dual-feed wide-band patch element, Tallysman’s TW2410 and TW4421 antennas cover the GPS L1, GLONASS G1 and SBAS (WAAS, EGNOS and MSAS) frequency band (1574 to 1606 MHz). The dual-feed patch provides excellent circular polarized signal reception, multipath rejection and out-of-band signal rejection, according to Tallysman.

Offering tight phase center variation (PCV), the antennas are suitable for high-accuracy applications and for use in precise point positioning (PPP) systems that require only a single frequency such as single-frequency RTK solutions, GNSS compasses and machine control.

Suitable for precision industrial, agricultural and military applications, the dual-feed GPS/GLONASS antennas feature Tallysman’s Accutenna technology that provides superior or multipath signal rejection and precision. The TW2410 and TW4421 antennas are housed in IP67 industrial-grade weather-proof, magnet mount enclosures and come with a wide range of connector options and cable lengths.

Tallysman is a manufacturer of high-performance, high-quality products for a wide range of GNSS applications.

April 7, 2015
Topcon Acquires Precision Ag Company Digi-Star

Topcon Positioning Group has acquired Digi-Star, an international provider of agricultural solutions involving weight sensors and control systems for feeding, planting, fertilizer and harvest equipment manufacturers.

“After several years of working on development projects together, we are delighted with this acquisition,” said Ray O’Connor, president and CEO of Topcon Positioning Group. “Digi-Star and Topcon Precision Agriculture are a perfect fit, bringing complementary technologies and distribution channels to our rapidly growing precision agricultural division. At a time when many companies are decreasing their investment in agricultural markets, we are increasingly optimistic about their growth based upon our strong commitment to developing management systems and solutions that bring the power of the Internet of Things (IoT) to every farm.”

Based in Fort Atkinson, Wis., Digi-Star supplies electronic equipment, precision sensors, optical yield and feed management sensors, displays, position verification and software used by farmers and other equipment operators to precisely measure and analyze valuable data from critical farming processes. Digi-Star has expertise in the livestock and grain equipment markets, according to a news release from Topcon.

Mac Moore, president and CEO of Digi-Star, said, “Topcon and Digi-Star have numerous synergies with electronics, sensors, and integration of specific user interfaces for the agriculture and industrial markets that will complement each other’s customers. Both companies will benefit from the expanded product lines and solutions that progressive customers depend upon for maximum profitability.”

In 2012 Digi-Star purchased RDS Technology, a United Kingdom-based company, which possesses similar technology for agricultural and construction applications, adding engineering, development and manufacturing facilities in Europe.

“We are very enthusiastic about the opportunity of combining these companies. In addition to expanding our reach into the farm market segment, this will further extend our scope of field solutions to help us continue strong growth while serving an expanded customer base for Topcon Precision Agriculture, for the aftermarket and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) clients,” said Albert Zahalka, president of Topcon Precision Agriculture. “We are also excited to add the skilled employees and world-class facilities located in the Midwestern United States, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands to our global agricultural family.

Digi-Star currently employs more than 220 employees in its three locations, with approximately half located in the United States or Europe.

March 23, 2015
AgJunction to Acquire Novariant
Precision-agriculture company AgJunction has agreed to acquire precision-steering company Novariant, according to a joint press release.

AgJunction holds numerous patents and markets its products and services under the brand names Outback Guidance, Satloc and AgJunction Cloud Services. AgJunction supports advanced farming practices and enables seamless data connectivity among growers and their agricultural service providers. Headquartered in Hiawatha, Kansas, AgJunction has facilities in Arizona, Pennsylvania, Winnipeg, and Queensland, Australia.

Based in Silicon Valley, Novariant’s steering solutions are used in more than 60 countries. With 55 employees worldwide, Novariant generated revenues of approximately $30 million in 2014. Novariant offers interoperable auto-steer capabilities to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and value-added resellers worldwide with more than 750 unique platform-install kits and more than 30,000 systems in the field.

According to the statement, when combined the two companies will be better positioned to achieve market objectives through leveraging:
- A larger presence with more resources
- A broader OEM partner list
- One of the precision agriculture industry’s most comprehensive intellectual property portfolios, providing increased IP protection for OEM partners
- Increased R&D capability and efficiency
- Complementary customers, market geographies and distribution channels
- Reductions in operating redundancy to further improve profitability.
Completion of the transaction is expected to take place this summer.

“Novariant established itself as a pioneer in guidance and auto-steer technologies over 20 years ago,” said Dave Vaughn, CEO of Novariant. “Most recently, Novariant has sharpened its focus on precision agriculture and has positioned its offerings to address a major shift in our industry from after-market channels to factory-installed solutions.”

“A shift like this occurs only once during the lifecycle of a technology, and great companies can be created by accelerating and innovating at the right time,” added Vaughn. “At Novariant we believe this is a transformational opportunity, and AgJunction is the right partner.”

As global machine manufacturers increasingly target the integration of auto steer technologies at the factory level, the combined companies can bring advanced levels of machine automation to both current and future OEM clients faster and at lower cost.

“The combination of Novariant and AgJunction creates an exciting opportunity for our company, for our customers, and for our shareholders,” said Rick Heiniger, president and CEO of AgJunction. “This merger extends the reach and influence with which we pursue a common passion — delivering the most accurate, innovative and reliable steering solutions in the world.”

Once the merger is complete, the combined company will have approximately 200 employees worldwide and will be headquartered at Novariant’s corporate headquarters in Silicon Valley. The combined company plans to maintain additional offices in Kansas, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Canada and Australia.

Dave Vaughn, CEO of Novariant, will be appointed CEO of the combined company, with current AgJunction CEO Rick Heiniger serving as senior advisor to the CEO. In addition, Wes Dittmer will continue to serve as the combined company’s CFO.
March 20, 2015
New app for farmers enables smartphone nav in the field

Photo: Agribus-NAVI

A new app available on the Google Play store enables farmers to use their smartphone in the field.

AgriBus-NAVI is a GPS guidance system to mount on agricultural machinery such as tractors, combines and self-propelled sprayers to help with straight-line tasks in the field. Checking the display while driving will enable the creation of straight and evenly spaced lines in large fields.

The app, which is compatible with Android 4.0 and above smartphones and tablets, doesn’t offer the automatic steering functionality that dedicated precision agriculture GPS devices usually do.

The app, by Agri Info Design, is based on the software “Agricultural Vehicle Navigation Software for Field Operation” and a patent “JP-4572417-B2” developed by National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO).

March 16, 2015
Trimble Introduces Correction Service for Agriculture in Europe

The Trimble CFX-750 display. Photo: Trimble

Trimble announced today a new version of its CenterPoint RTX correction service that delivers convergence to 4-centimeter horizontal accuracy in less than 5 minutes. The service is designed for a variety of precision agriculture operations in Central and Western Europe, and is available for use with the Trimble CFX-750 display.

Trimble CenterPoint RTX delivers highly accurate GNSS corrections via satellite without the need for traditional reference station RTK infrastructure, mobile data plans or additional on-machine hardware. The GNSS-enabled correction service delivers repeatable, real-time high-accuracy positions for land preparation, planting, harvesting and other high-precision farming applications.

Enabled by the new version of RTX technology, RTX version 5.0, the fast convergence time is the result of a new region-specific atmospheric model and a dense ground reference station network. Growers will realize an approximate 80 percent improvement in RTX convergence time as compared to the RTX-standard service that typically provides 30-minute convergence time, Trimble said.

Delivered via a new satellite broadcast covering western and central Europe, the new service will be available in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France,Ireland, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Western Poland, Southern Sweden and the United Kingdom.

“We are continually advancing our Trimble RTX technology to improve productivity in the field,” said Patricia Boothe, general manager of Trimble Positioning Services. “Faster initialization times allow growers to start working more quickly, freeing up time to focus on other farm operations. No other satellite-delivered correction service today can offer better than 4 centimeter accuracy in less than 5 minutes.”

March 12, 2015
Topcon Partners with Toro on GPS-guided Turf Sprayer

Topcon Positioning Group is partnering with The Toro Company to develop a GPS-guided sprayer that Toro will start selling to the commercial equipment marketplace this summer. The GeoLink system will be available for the Toro Multi Pro 5800 initially, with plans to offer it for a broader range of Toro sprayers in the future.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Toro on our debut in the turf spraying marketplace,” said Jason Killpack, director of business development, strategic partnerships for Topcon.

The Toro Multi Pro 5800 sprayer will get Topcon GPS guidance.

“This new system, which builds upon Topcon innovations developed for precision agriculture, is an excellent example of how positioning technologies can benefit non-traditional industries. We are taking proven precision agriculture technology and providing it as a resource for Toro to employ in its market,” Killpack said.

“In addition to working in tandem with Toro to develop this exciting new product, it also provides us the opportunity to expand our TopNETlive network, which is a key initiative within our organization.” The TopNETlive network is a subscription-based, real-time, GNSS reference network delivering high-quality correction data to rovers used for surveying, construction, GIS mapping and agricultural applications throughout North America.

“We started by understanding customer needs, and then selected Topcon as a partner to develop an integrated user-friendly solution,” said Jace Bertsch, marketing manager for Toro. “We are very excited to offer the unique features that have been engineered into this system, and are confident that GeoLink will be successfully deployed in both the golf and sports field market segments. Simply put, GeoLink ensures accurate and consistent coverage, which translates into exceptional results and reduced chemical costs.”

February 25, 2015
Farmers Edge Acquires GranDuke Geomatics for Precision Agriculture

Farmers Edge Inc., a precision agriculture and independent data-management company, has acquired GranDuke Geomatics Ltd. of Lethbridge, Alberta. The agreement was finalized on Jan. 9, giving control of the geospatial solutions and software development company to Farmers Edge.

Headquartered in Winnipeg, Canada, Farmers Edge has operations in North and South America, Australia, Russia and Eastern Europe. The company said it’s goal is to increase growers’ profitability maintaining an environmentally sustainable approach by leveraging advanced precision tools and big data analytic solutions.

Farmers Edge offers its Precision Solutions package for every agribusiness, crop and geography. Precision Solutions is a turnkey comprehensive package that includes variable rate technology, field centric weather monitoring, high-resolution satellite imagery, in-field telematics and real boots on the ground. Farmers Edge allows farmers to collect, store and transfer data, make advanced management decisions and measure results.

Fertilizer and yield maps provided by GranDuke Geomatics Ltd. are part of the Precision Solutions product line, offering growers an increase in efficiency through automated workflows, specialized software design and cloud-based data processing.

GranDuke Geomatics Ltd. was founded in 2012 by Guy Duke and Kevin Grant, and with the assistance of the National Research Council offers customized software solutions and geospatial applications to clients in precision agriculture, environmental monitoring, and oil and gas. With 22 employees, GranDuke Geomatics Ltd. will continue to provide advanced GIS and yield data processing services for Farmers Edge.

“The acquisition of GranDuke is a huge opportunity for our company and our staff,” Grant said. “Farmers Edge is a world-class, fast growing precision agriculture company. We are excited to be a part of their continued growth.”

“This acquisition is the culmination of a lot of hard work and late evenings providing Farmers Edge with rapid software development and quick product turn-around times for their data analysis and mapping,” Duke said.

“We’re really excited about the acquisition of GranDuke Geomatics because they bring an outstanding software engineering team and valuable ag technology IP to the table,” said Wade Barnes, president and CEO of Farmers Edge Inc. “We are now incorporating this IP into our decision support tools that bring all the information together to make a meaningful impact on production. We want our growers to have all resources they need to attain the best results from their investment.”

February 25, 2015
TeeJet Launches Precision Ag GNSS Receiver

The TeeJet RX50 receiver.

The new RX520 dual-frequency GNSS receiver from TeeJet Technologies brings reliable, upgradable accuracy and performance to precision farming applications, TeeJet said. It features an integrated L1/L2 GPS+GLONASS receiver and antenna in a single compact enclosure. Integral magnetic mounting allows for a clean, low-profile installation.

All RX520 receivers include ClearPath technology, which ensures smooth, consistent position data even if brief signal losses occur. The standard L1/L2 SBAS receiver offers +/- 5-8 in pass-to-pass accuracy for a wide variety of field operations. Optional precise point positioning (PPP) provides improved +/- 2-4 in pass-to-pass accuracy and year-to-year repeatability, making it suitable for strip-till and other high-precision operations. PPP accuracy is delivered via TerraStar subscription signal and is offered in 1-, 3-, 6- and 12-month packages.

“This is a very versatile receiver that is compatible with TeeJet and many third-party guidance and auto steer products,” said Tim Stuenkel, global marketing manager with TeeJet Technologies. “Another great feature is the ability to pay for only the accuracy you need today, with the flexibility to upgrade to higher performance down the road as your needs change.”

TeeJet Technologies manufactures a comprehensive line of products including agricultural spray nozzles for various pesticide/fertilizer applications, boom components, valves/manifolds, strainers, and spray guns, as well as GPS guidance systems, sprayer control systems, ISOBUS job computers, assisted steering systems and other precision farming products. In addition, TeeJet Technologies continues to invest in research and development to advance precision application and control technology.

February 12, 2015
Report Looks at Feeding Growing Global Population with Precision Farming, IoT

A new report by Beecham Research examines how the agricultural sector is embracing precision farming to face challenges raised by an increasing worldwide population and the impact of climate change.

The United Nations predicts the global population will reach 8 billion by 2025, and 9.6 billion by 2050, meaning food production must increase by 70 percent by 2050.

The report explores how agricultural operations are changing through the Internet of Things (IoT) and related smart and connected farms concepts, including precision agriculture guided by GPS. It provides a geographic analysis discussing public policies, adoption drivers and barriers, and opportunities for the M2M/IoT community.

The Executive Summary of the report, “Towards Smart Farming: Agriculture Embracing the IoT Vision,” is available here.

February 9, 2015
Tallysman Wraps Antennas in Armored Cable for Precision Ag, M2M

This photo shows the corrugated conduit covering the RG174 cable with Tallysman’s TW2410 antenna.

Tallysman’s enclosed antennas now come with optional armored corrugated cable. The standard RG174 cable is encased in a corrugated conduit of tough plastic, which maintains its functionality between the temperatures of -40 to +150C.

The extra protection increases the resilience of the antenna for use in precision agriculture, machine-to-machine, and other rugged applications.

Tallysman is a manufacturer of high-performance, high-quality products for a wide range of GNSS applications.

February 5, 2015
Automated Pile Driver from Orteco Uses Altus APS-U for Machine Control

Orteco is an Italian manufacturer of pile-driving equipment.

Orteco, a specialized manufacturer of pile driving machines based in northern Italy, has introduced a series of robotic pile drivers using APS-U GNSS RTK receivers from Altus Positioning Systems. The products are being supplied to Orteco by Altus’ parent company, Septentrio NV.

The driverless tracked crawler maneuvers automatically under control of the APS-U, which provides centimeter-level position coordinates and heading information within 0.3 degrees, following a project map loaded into the machine’s computer. It automatically drives itself to each location, positions the mast and drives the post in a perfectly vertical position, stopping the installation at exactly the desired height, then moves automatically to the next spot.

The Altus APS-U-HDG is a high-precision 272-channel GPS/GLONASS/SBAS receiver with dual antennas designed to provide highly accurate heading and position for machine control applications. Cased in a rugged MIL-STD-810C aluminum housing, the instrument is built to the most rigorous standards for waterproofing, humidity, dust, shock, vibration and extreme temperatures.

The Altus APS-U-HDG.

Orteco is building the GNSS-controlled pile driver in various configurations for applications such as photovoltaic farms, fences, roadside barriers and agriculture. It makes pile driving jobs faster, safer and more accurate with fewer workers, increasing productivity and reducing costs, Altus said.

“The Orteco machines provide a perfect demonstration of the ruggedness, power and performance of the APS-U as a highly accurate heading and positioning sensor in one of the most demanding environments imaginable,” said Altus CEO Neil Vancans. “In extensive tests conducted by Orteco, the APS-U receivers proved themselves up to the task, performing reliably under the constant heavy pounding and vibration of the pile driver.”

Based in Bologna, Orteco is a specialized manufacturer focused on pile driving with a 40-year history. In 2011, the company reached a milestone of 1,000 pile drivers produced and distributed all over the world. The company’s GNSS-controlled agricultural pile driver, designed to install posts in large vineyards, was recognized as a winner of the Innovation Challenge Enovitis in campo 2014 by Unione Italiana Vini and Veronafiere.

February 3, 2015