Ravensdown’s HawkEye Pro Wins Technology Award at Southern Field Days
Ravensdown's next evolution in smart farming technology, HawkEye Pro, was awarded the Technology Section Award at the Southern Field Days Farm Innovation Awards in February 2026.
With autonomous prime movers tipped to become more popular - particularly on broad acre operations - a recent trial by an AgXeed AgBot T2-7 SERIES, working in combination with the Väderstad Carrier XL 625 cultivator, achieved an impressive 80 hectares in just 20 hours over two paddocks, suggesting that autonomy is ready to compete with conventional tractors in the field.
The trial was held on 16-17 December 2025 in the Uckermark region in North-Eastern Germany – a month after the machine’s launch at Agritechnica. It included challenging field shapes, obstacles and hilly terrain, across loamy, sandy soil.
Featuring a 230hp diesel-electric drivetrain, the AgBot T2-7 Series maintained working speeds between 9 and 12kph, with power to the ground via a track system that achieved grip, but also offered very low ground pressure, helping to protect soil structure and safeguard future yields.
The machine was designed to directly compete with a standard tractor for key field applications including soil cultivation, seedbed preparation, seeding, stubble cultivation, or mulching fully autonomously. The trial combined it with a 6 metre Väderstad Carrier XL 625 and the ability to work consistently 24 hours a day, ensuring maximum effectiveness and efficiency when time windows are tight.
Planning and control are achieved via the AgXeed TraXwise planning portal, allowing farmers to pre-plan the complete task in advance and monitor the AgBot in real time, from job commencement to completion.
Danielle Adsett has been announced as the new chief executive of New Zealand Apples and Pears (NZAPI).
Lian Butcher has been appointed as the next Chief Executive of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).
A day after selling its consumer businesses, Fonterra has settled a civil claim, filed by Greenpeace, out of court.
The venue for National Fieldays, the Southern Hemisphere's largest agribusiness show, is getting a major infrastructure upgrade.
Despite the ongoing bad news on the geopolitical front, New Zealand kiwifruit growers may be in for a good payout.
Under pressure wine growers say the appointment of a new chief executive will bring a fresh perspective, renewed focus, and a clear, united vision for the industry.

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