Feed pad with rubber matting hailed as game changer
For Otago farmers Michelle and Rogan Borrie, a newly constructed feed pad on one of their three farms has been a game changer.
The T8 with Raven Autonomy enables a farmer to monitor and operate the driverless T8 tractor from the cab of the combine harvester in grain carting situations.
The system enables a farmer to set a field plan, stage locations and adjust the tractor’s speeds and monitor location activity. They can also control the tractor pulling a grain cart alongside the combine harvester as it offloads on the go.
The automated synchronization of combine and cart saves grain spilling during offloading. After the grain bin is full, the tractor will return to a predetermined unloading area. The entire operation is completed without a second driver.
The intuitive system helps a farmer manage his or her fleet efficiently by tracking their combine harvesters’ coverage in real-time.
It also monitors tractor and combine performance analytics, fuel status and run time and real-time monitoring of all their machines’ locations. All the data is backed up and stored on a cloud-based platform.
The new T8 with Raven Autonomy integrates OMNiDRIVE, the first driverless agriculture technology for grain carting harvest operations. This was originated as an aftermarket solution and developed by Raven in 2019.
Given that the state of regulations on autonomy today is diverse around the globe, the manufacturer suggests that it cannot predict how regulations are going to evolve.
So, it is preparing for different scenarios – an approach that will allow it to be proactive as regulations allow for market introduction.
