Agricultural drone use soars among NZ contractors
Use of agricultural drones by contractors in New Zealand is soaring.
Dubbed CTIS+ Inside, the system will enable tractor drivers to inflate or deflate tire pressures directly from the tractor cabin, to pressures calculated by the Trelleborg load calculator (TLC) software.
Trelleborg says such systems will greatly boost farming efficiency, making for more productivity and sustainability. It says research shows that correct tyre pressure can cut farming costs by as much as 20%.
The new system builds on existing CTIS systems by integrating new and advanced components with pressure software data provided by Trelleborg’s TLC software.
The company says that by 2025 one third of tractors over 120hp in Europe and North America will have a CTIS solution. And the trend may accelerate if the industry can offer an affordable, efficient, safe and easily used CTIS system.
Trelleborg and Dana are now working with leading tractor manufacturers to have commercial units available by the end of 2020.
Meanwhile, Trelleborg’s award-winning ProgressiveTraction technology is now available in New Zealand, through TRS Trelleborg.
The tyres are said to release extra power to the ground, reduce stresses on the soil and boost the machine’s road travel performance.
In the paddock, the Progressive Traction has more traction, reducing working time and cutting operating and fuel costs.
The double-lug tread reduces vibration, lowers energy dissipation and minimises fuel consumption, while extending service life. Inter-lug terracing at the base of each lug helps with mud ejection, so maximising the self-cleaning abilities of the tyre.
On the road, the sidewall design has lower rolling resistance and fuel consumption, more tolerance of shock loadings and gives more comfort to the operator.
Trelleborg’s TM 1000 flagship tyre, designed for high horsepower tractors, has recently been upgraded to include the new ProgressiveTraction technology. It will be available soon in New Zealand.
In field testing, the TM1000PT has achieved up to 3% less fuel consumption and up to 5% longer tyre service life.
The performance of the ProgressiveTraction technology was seen in December 2014, when a MF5610 tractor equipped with the technology reached the South Pole as part of the Antarctica2 mission. On deep snow and ice, the tyres had extraordinary grip.
