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German manufacturer Horsch says it is at an advanced stage of developing its autonomous planter.
German farm machinery manufacturer Horsch says it is at an advanced stage of developing its aptly named Robo autonomous planter.
The company says it will release more details toward the end of June 2022.
However, recently on social media, a video showed one of the company's large red planters being towed to a field by a truck, then being put through its paces drilling corn. This led chief executive Phillip Horsch to confirm that the Robo planter was undergoing real planting trials.
"The Robo works well, planting autonomously and making turns unaided on the headland etc," he says.
Horsch also noted that safety regulations in Germany are so strict for fully autonomous vehicles that a supervisor/operator had to stay within 600 metres to always watch the machine.
He added that two more autonomous 'concepts' would follow the Robo by the end of the year. The company also manufactures trailed and self-propelled sprayers and is keen to develop robotic versions of these machines as well.
Horsch indicated the autonomous machine was likely to be released for sale in about two years, depending on efforts to change current regulations.
Running on a twin-track system, the Horsch Robo is equipped with a Trimble navigation system and fitted with a large seed hopper that supplies the 24 row Maestro seeding element.
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