Able to be retrofitted, Sveaverken’s F100 Auto Steer System increases cost efficiency for farmers, by enabling automated driving of tractors
Accuracy is key in the world of precision farming, but it requires high attention to detail, otherwise human errors can be easily made.
To eliminate this issue, Swedish farming solutions company Sveaverken has recently introduced its F100 Auto Steer System into Australia, increasing cost efficiency for precision farmers.
Able to be installed onto existing tractors, the system essentially turns older tractors into a self-driving machine that can follow accurate driving paths.
Powered by global navigation satellite system [GNSS] and real-time kinematics [RTK], the F100 system can achieve an accuracy of 2.5cm, even in low-light conditions – no matter what kind of path the farmer wants to follow.
It could be as simple as following a straight line, or making a U-turn, or more complex shapes and paths, the system allows a tractor to do it all by itself – with high accuracy and precision.
With this technology the possibilities are endless, it could be used to make life easier when spraying or sowing, as well as automating the harrowing and harvesting processes.
Australian market
Already well-established and popular in European markets, Sveaverken has identified Australia as a landscape where the F100 could thrive.
“With rising economic pressures and increasing labour shortages, we believe there’s a huge need for more efficient automated agriculture systems,” Sveaverken vice president of global operations Felix Tian says.
“Our auto-steer system can increase the efficiency and lower the cost for farmers all around the country.”
There are already some farmers in Victoria and New South Wales that have adopted the F100 technology and have been thrilled with the benefits, Tian adds.
Some of the benefits which Tian says farmers have seen include savings of fuel, fertiliser and inputs such as seeds.
“This is because paths are pre-planned and optimised, so any potential for human error is eliminated,” he says.
Without the potential of mistakes, it can help reduce farmer fatigue as they don’t have to concentrate as hard on the task at hand.
This can then help to increase the wellbeing of Aussie farmers and make their lives easier when doing demanding work.
Without the use of the F100 Auto-Steer System, farmers must be highly focused in precision applications, but this technology allows them to sit back, relax and watch the technology do what it does best – achieving accurate paths.
In Europe, happy customers have said the technology has also helped them to improve their yields, while reducing the costs associated with precision farming, according to Sveaverken.
Features
Sveaverken’s F100 includes automatic terrain compensation that can adjust for slopes and bumps, ensuring lines stay precise – no matter the field conditions.
The system is ISOBUS compatible, with Tian saying that the technology not only controls a tractor, but also can communicate and control with other implements or equipment that are connected to the tractor.
This two-way communication eliminates the need for separate screens controlling different systems, and puts all valuable information in one place – known as the universal terminal.
“All the implements come to one screen, where you can see the data, progress and control everything,” Tian says.
“We’re very excited about the progress of this feature, we believe it’s very important and valuable to Australian farmers.”
Various kinds of guidance line templates are included as part of the F100 system, giving customers more options to suit their needs.
From straight lines to curved ones, and different U-turns, the F100 can follows the path – regardless of the shape of a farm.
An optional field management platform can also be included, which helps manage tasks, monitor progress and collect valuable data.
Readily available
Tian says he’s proud of the job that Sveaverken has done in making the F100 readily available to customers.
Helping more farmers get access to this kind of technology at an affordable price, he believes that a lot of other similar technologies are only available for those farmers that are willing to spend big.
“A lot of these precision navigation technologies are quite expensive, and it makes it difficult for the majority of farmers to gain access to them,” Tian says.
“We think we’ve done a pretty good job at helping more farmers adopt this technology at a reasonable price.”
For those farmers open to new technologies and automation, the F100 is a match made in heaven, with Tian saying it can reduce the need for new machinery.
“Some farmers may be looking to buy a new sophisticated tractor that comes with auto-steering functions, but the F100 reduces the need for a new machine, because it can be installed onto an existing tractor,” he says.
“The F100 serves as an upgrade on their tractor, to make it drive automatically.”
With farmers in Victoria and New South Wales already reaping the benefits of the F100 Auto Steer System, Tian expects many more across the nation to adopt this technology to make life easier for themselves.
“Imagine you’re sitting in a tractor and you don’t have to be fully focused on if it’s driving on a straight line, if you’re making too much overlap, if you missed a spot or if there’s too much gap,” he says.
“With the F100 Auto Steer System, it gets rid of all your accuracy worries.”
For more information on Sveaverken’s F100 Auto Steer System, head to www.sveaverken.com
