The Price Tag of Precision Ag: Assessing the Value of Positioning Technology on Your Farm
Farmers today are swamped with the latest technology and gadgets promising to save them money and improve crop yields – it can be overboard to the point of overwhelming, forcing many to tune out and focus on getting the work done.
But amid the hype and marketing clutter are some simple yet surprisingly effective tools that stand out, and a good example is positioning technology. It’s an innovation that builds upon the strengths of precision farming, which relies on operators knowing their precise location in the field.
Guidance and steering systems go a long way to achieve this, and then corrections services take accuracy to a whole new level. By pairing a quality receiver with reliable positioning services, farmers can ‘correct’ most any errors due to satellite systems being delayed or disrupted by clock, orbit or atmospheric anomalies. Corrected real-time positions on the ground lead to improved accuracy, higher productivity and a stronger bottom line.
Given the growing importance of rural connectivity, which remains top-of-mind for farmers, Trimble recently announced an enhancement to its corrections offering that combines the power of a superior satellite system with improved connectivity. This new stream-switching service lets farmers automatically switch from satellite to cellular corrections – whichever has the best availability at the time. By enabling seamless centimeter-level accuracy via satellite and cellular sources, farmers can access the best available means of receiving RTX corrections, minimizing downtime.
It’s a win-win because at the end of the day, what farmers need most are tools or systems that will help them avoid one of their staunchest enemies – downtime. If there’s been rain for two weeks, the skies clear and you have a day to take off the crop, downtime due to equipment breakdown or shoddy signals can cut deeply into your bottom line.
That’s why the optimal GNSS corrections stream, delivered via IP or satellite, depending on signal strength, is vital. In areas prone to satellite cutoffs due to elevation changes or canopy, the signal switches to the modem and stays on IP. For regions with a bad cellular connection, the streaming automatically switches to a satellite. Through this seamless stream switch, farmers gain improved guidance uptime without any additional software or headaches.
That’s one consideration. Now let’s dive into a few more features you may want to look into in evaluating what correction service may be right for your farm:
- Consider a navigation system that is multi-constellation as it will provide better risk mitigation against ionospheric disturbances.
- Keep in mind the value of having a high-precision positioning engine that will provide position and orientation data from the fusion of GNSS signals, globally accessible high-accuracy correction services and measurement data from a variety of sensors. This type of system will deliver improved positioning performance, even in challenging environments.
- Systems available on a subscription basis often include more value without the upfront cost.
- Choose a provider with a clear commitment to R&D investment. Given rapid innovation in this field, it pays to tap into new upgrades and enhancements as they are released, as opposed to purchasing solutions that will need to be replaced.
- Carefully evaluate which type of correction service is right for you – for example, compare RTK level (such as RTX), with a little less accuracy such as Rangepoint, vs free services. Consider that:
- CenterPoint RTX works well for high-accuracy applications such as strip tilling, planting, seeding, spraying and spreading.
- Choose RangePoint RTX for less stringent accuracy applications, such as broad-acre farming.
- ViewPoint RTX works well as an alternative to free services that is more reliable and stable.
Modern farming technology has the potential to revolutionize the industry, but it’s only as useful as your ability to access it. That’s why rural connectivity is more important than ever for farmers. With a reliable internet connection, farmers can access the latest tools and gadgets to improve their crop yields and streamline their operations. This includes unlocking the power of not just innovative positioning systems, but also enhancements to them such as stream switching.
Yes, it’s easy to get lost in the sea of farm tech options being pitched at every turn. That’s why it’s important to evaluate these new solutions against your farm’s unique needs and find partners and suppliers you can trust when it comes to long-term success.
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