25 Years of John Deere Automated Guidance: A Precision Ag Timeline
This year marks the 25th anniversary of John Deere moving into automated guidance.
The company says these will offer large scale operators more tonnes per hour, more hectares per day, with minimal grain loss and no reduction in quality.
The new X9 1000 and X9 1100 Harvesters feature a wider feeder house, dual separator, and the industry’s largest cleaning shoe.
At the heart of the new combine is the X-Series Dual Separator (XDS), the largest threshing and separation areas JD has ever offered, delivering threshing and separation during nine revolutions of the crop. The 7 square metre Dyna-Flo XL Cleaning Shoe has 36% more cleaning area than the current S790 flagship machine.
Power is provided by an all-new John Deere PowerTech 13.6-litre engine working with a robust belt-drive system and updated ProDrive XL Transmission to improve fuel efficiency. This offers up to 14 hour run times without refuelling. The X9 1000 and X1100 grain tanks allows up to 14,800L and 16,200L respectively, 5% and 15% more than the S790 machine. The machines have folding unloading augers with an adjustable spout are available in 7.9m, 8.7m or 9.4m lengths.
Both harvesters feature extensive use of automated adjustments so the operator can consistently function at peak output levels, with a claim that the X9 1100 uses up to 20% less fuel per tonne harvested than the S790.
Inside, the X-Series cab offers more storage space, more USB ports and better connectivity. An optional touchscreen radio is smart-phone ready to make calls, listen to music, or send and receive messages.
Three comfort and convenience cab packages are available, with the Ultimate specification including a new ventilated massaging seat that swivels 16 degrees right or left for improved operator visibility and all-day comfort. The Signature Edition is also available and includes the highest levels of comfort, lighting and technology packages John Deere offers.
Precision ag technologies collect important machine and yield data, while an integrated StarFire 6000 Receiver requires no calibration of the Terrain Compensation Module (TCM). This is said to be more accurate than previous offerings, as well as booting up and acquiring the GPS signal quicker.
JDLink is standard on both models. There are three technology packages available for the X-Series – including Select, Premium and Ultimate specifications. Both machines can connect to the John Deere Operations Center, a cloud-based, central location where farmers can electronically share machine or operational information with trusted partners and advisors.
Expect to see a couple of demonstration units on the ground in late 2021, from where dealers will start taking orders for deliveries the following year.
