1. GPS Capabilities and Future Products Robert E. Wolf, Randy K.Taylor Biological and Agricultural Engineering Dept. Kansas State University

2. The Influence of Precision Agriculture !

3. Today’s Focus: GPS Guidance Systems

4. Enabling Technology GPS (Global Positioning System) Increased computing power in smaller packages

5. What is GPS? GPS is a navigation system that uses satellites overhead, a differential reference station to correct for error, computers and modems to communicate location and calculate where you are in relation to a location map. GIS - Preprogrammed or real-time information is processed for tillage, seeding, nutrient applications and spraying.

6. Why GPS Guidance? Increase productivity by minimizing overlap and skips and reducing inputs: save chemical, fuel, and time Reduce operator fatigue and increase efficiency More accurate & productive navigation Eliminate the need for foam markers Timely application: extend hours of operation for tillage, seeding, and spraying Accurate application in low visibility conditions: day or night, dust or fog, no-till stubble

7. This is old aerial technology!

8. Major Issues Compatibility Accuracy GPS Operator Interface Features/Abilities Cost

9. Compatibility Can it communicate with other devices? Computers Controllers Can it serve multiple functions? Guidance GPS for yield monitor Data logging  How are data logged (recorded) and stored?  What data can be recorded and stored?

10. GPS Accuracy Can the receiver tell you where you are? Absolute accuracy Can the receiver actually tell you where you are relative to where you have been? Relative accuracy or precision What is the response time? How quick is it?

11. Position Accuracy No standard procedures or tests for dynamic (moving) accuracy Manufacturers use their own definitions of static accuracy Short term static accuracy can be quite good Dynamic accuracy is thought to be better than static accuracy

12. Differential Correction Coast Guard Beacon WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) Single Frequency Dual Frequency

13. GPS Updates Update Rate - How fast (often) is signal or position updated? Faster updates generally mean better accuracy 5-10 Hz (times per second) is generally sufficient Some receivers update at 1 Hz

14. Operator Interface GPS accuracy is irrelevant if the operator cannot interpret the signal and make timely steering corrections Two basic designs Light based Image based

15. Light Based Interface Uses lights to indicate what the operator should do to maintain the desired path

16. Image Based Interface Uses an image of the vehicle and an indication of where the vehicle should be

17. Features and Abilities Straight line guidance Back and forth or racetrack patterns Contour guidance Curved swaths Return to a point Stopped spraying to refill and want to restart where you left off

18. Straight Line Guidance Set an A-B line in a location that you can drive straight Other passes are relative to the initial A-B line

19. Contour Guidance Drive any pass – possibly along a terrace Each subsequent pass is parallel to the previous pass

20. Systems and Costs Low cost guidance – add guidance to currently owned system $100 - $1500 Purchase stand alone guidance system $4000 - $10000 Auto Steer Systems $12,000 - $50,000

21. Auto Steering Trimble AgGPS® Autopilot BEELINE Navigator AGCO Challenger IntegriNautics

22. Autonomous Vehicles:

23. Guidance Components

24. Tomorrow’s Focus: Spray applications:

25. Pulsed Emissions from Nozzles Pulse Width Modulation - PWM

26. Synchro Nozzles Blended Pulse Technology Independent Flow Control (1-8X) Independent Drop Size Control Independent Band Width Control (Fan Nozzles) Separate boom section controls GPS - program management control

30. Accountability map for Field run 7 - wind speed and wind direction

31. Sharp Shooter/Synchro Controller: Pulse generator On/Off Select volume % Valve Driver Power from battery Nozzle valve Creates spray pulse

32. Remote Sensing Imaging: Low altitude or satellite Near real-time Developing maps of pest problems Variable rate applications Spot spraying

33. Geo-referenced Field NIR Image:

34. Yield Maps & Remote Sensing: 1997 Yield Map Aerial Photo 6/18/97

35. Remote Controlled Helicopters Spraying and Video Scouting:

36. Managing Crop Nitrogen Inputs: N-Sensor Operates on-the-go Measures light reflectance from the crop Calculates Nitrogen deficiencies Translates to an application system to apply the required amount of ‘N’ where needed

37. Smart Sprayers Computer guided Vision systems on sprayers Real-time ID weeds, insects, diseases Determine where, what, and when to spray

38. Chemical Injection Systems:

39. Injection Systems

40. Recent Alliances Raven – BeeLine-Farmworks (TruLine) Spray Systems – Trimble ???

41. For more information contact: www.bae.ksu.edu/rewolf/ rewolf@ksu.edu