Precision Farming: from satellite to earth
What is Precision Farming and how does it work?
Precision farming is a broad concept linked to digitalisation which brings to agriculture all the benefits of having data before converted into information and then into actions by the operator on the machine or automatically from the machinery itself.
We have been talking about precision farming for more or less ten years: the concept directly relates to Industry 4.0 and concerns the contribution of technology to agricultural activities aiming to maximise and optimise productivity.
For example, thanks to a satellite signal with a dedicated antenna infrastructure, it is possible to locate the exact position of a tractor and its equipment and compare it with the specific needs at any time of processing (in terms of seeding, fertilising and applying pesticides).
By knowing the machinery's position, speed and direction, precision farming can create and then use maps with all the information related to the distribution of the material (which can be a liquid product to be sprayed or a solid product to be distributed).
What are the benefits that Precision Farming brings to the farmer? And which ones to the whole ecosystem?
Precision farming, as well as everything related to Industry 4.0, makes it possible to:
- Limit waste due to improper use of machines and products (if you use an excessive amount of fertiliser on the ground, not only there is a waste of that product but also there is a high risk to damage or even damaging the crop and also to pollute the field itself; or if you place seeds too close, they will grow in the wrong way and therefore you will have a lower crop);
- Optimise the process (reducing processing times and increasing the crop yield);
- Avoid pollution from fertilisers/pesticides.
The electric system also has a further positive impact on the ecological aspect compared to the mechanical and hydraulic transmission. This latter has inefficiencies linked to friction and regulation and produces possible losses of oily substances on the ground. At the same time, the electric power supply is efficient, flexible and clean.
What is the role of ROJ - Agri-Motion in Precision Farming?
A dichotomy currently characterises the panorama of precision farming. On the one hand, there are advanced technologies, while on the other hand, there are agricultural machines, which are, more or less, evolved. In Italy, progress has already been made since we have moved from mechanical motors to hydraulic ones, but this is not enough. These actuators do not have the accuracy and speed of response required to apply what agriculture precision requires.
Mechanical transmission has several limitations: for example, the mechanical seed drill takes movement from an auxiliary wheel on the ground and rigidly drives the seed distribution system. The wheel, however, can slip and may not go at the same speed, thus presenting inertias that are absolutely incompatible with precision agriculture.
However, even the hydraulic transmission, which is much more flexible than the previous case (characterised by a hydraulic pump linked to the tractor's power take-off, which, by powering more motors, possibly with a variable rate, in turn, they move the distributors), have a physical latency that manifests in a delayed start and a delayed stop, which is totally unsuitable to the concept of precision farming.
What is the solution? The solution is electric motors, highly dynamic servomotors, that respond immediately, as in industrial machines, to any indication given by the electronic system. This solution opens the door to an exciting scenario of exploitation of the machine where, through individual motors, it is possible to:
- Stop rows (tramline): where we know that in subsequent treatments, the wheels of the tractor will pass, there will be no sowing;
- Avoid overlapping seeding paths (section control): when paths cross, it is possible to switch off independently the seeding or fertilisation rows that would overlap;
- Compensate the rotation (curve compensation): the external rows are faster than the internal ones in a curve and, therefore, it is necessary to have a controlled and individual distribution of material;
- Vary the distribution rate depending on the maps or the quantity of product according to location.
ROJ Agri-Motion takes care of physically grounding the information and so to optimise the agricultural process.
Having a precision farming system, which processes all data and information needed for the equipment, someone/something must implement it: ROJ Agri-Motion locates itself in the middle, between this advanced technology and its mechanical implementation, with its electric motors (integrated brushless servomotors), with their gearbox and control board, offering a robust, waterproof and compact solution, suitable for agricultural applications.
The approach of ROJ Agri-Motion in the last first eight years of activity has been to serve all types of customers. Initially, we were offering on the market a motor that could respond to a very variable torque request, then optimising the motors for those who had already optimised the mechanics and giving to whom requested it a series of additional functions to complete the service. (Such as measuring the level of product in the hoppers, knowing the residual material, or measuring the pressure of the ventilation system, which allows optimising the selection of seeds).
In order to be more friendly towards the end-user, sometimes being sceptical about the use of sophisticated electrical systems, and bring him closer to the concept of precision farming, ROJ Agri-Motion has developed simple systems that allow controlling the electric motors via an app installed on the phone or tablet and set the parameters for working the field. (It requires only an electrical supply from the battery or tractor and the Wi-Fi connection device with the farmer's smartphone).
This system, known as PCSW1, is now being expanded into the X-Tend series, a kit that allows controlling two motors and which, in less than one year, will allow up to four of them to be controlled simply via an app installed on the phone.
What will be the future of Precision Farming?
The evolution of the sector may happen in two directions:
- Extended electrification of machines and equipment: this will involve integrating electrification with the tractor and using a new power supply, probably 48V systems, which will allow doing every agricultural activity more intelligently, efficiently and easily;
- Connectivity: at present, information is exchanged top-down, from the satellite to the machine. However, in the future, more and more services will transmit data from the tractor to the cloud, offering the possibility of post-data processing.
ROJ Agri-Motion's ambitious goal is to be at the forefront of the precision farming market and continually receptive to new techniques and methodologies to be applied to everyday operations and contribute to the improvement of the sector.