Most Row Crop Acreage Managed Using Auto-steer and Guidance Systems

Auto-steer and guidance systems use technologies that visualize and track the position of tractors, harvesters, and other equipment in real time. The main purpose of these systems is to reduce instances in which farmers unintentionally miss parts of their fields (known as “skips”) or make redundant passes through the field (“overlaps”). Such systems have evolved over time from “light bar” technologies that were semi-autonomous to more sophisticated systems that allow near-total automated steering. Today’s machines have the ability to use information from global navigation satellite systems, a general term that describes any satellite that provides positioning, navigation, and timing services, including global positioning systems (GPS). That ability allows for a high degree of precision in tracking exact locations in fields. Even so, their level of accuracy and precision depends on factors such as slope and terrain, the number of satellites in view at any point in time, and ionospheric activity, which can affect communication quality. Guidance systems come equipped in farm machinery or can be purchased separately and integrated with existing equipment. Their affordability and ease of installation, calibration, and use make them appealing to farm operators.