2015 Precision Ag Product Review

For the past few years, PrecisionAg magazine has invited key precision ag product manufacturers and service providers to share with us information on their latest upgrades and newest items. On the following pages, you will find this data, along with select product pictures.

Ag Leader laptop, tablet, and smartphoneAG LEADER

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For 2015, Ag Leader predicts continuation of the evolution of wireless technologies in the precision agriculture market. “Being able to easily access your precision data at any time is crucial for growers as they continue making important management decisions on-the-go,” says Sam Worley, marketing product specialist. “Growers need access to their data while visiting with trusted advisors, landlords and while in the field. As more users turn to the cloud to store and access data and use wireless technology for remote support, the wireless technology segment will support it by adding more features.”

To tie into this trend, Ag Leader has introduced AgFiniti Map View. Released in January, AgFiniti Map View can be used in conjunction with SMS Basic and Advanced desktop software programs and AgFiniti to allow cloud access to a user’s precision data anywhere, anytime. “Data can be viewed on a user’s preferred Web-enabled device, including iPad (Apple), Android and Windows devices,” says Worley. “Because it’s used in conjunction with SMS, users can view data from all their precision displays, including Ag Leader Technology, AGCO, CNH, John Deere, Precision Planting, Trimble and more. Map View will allow the user to view their current location and compare statistics relevant to that GPS location while in the field, such as planting rates, hybrids, soil types and yield.”

AgJunction eDrive XC XDAGJUNCTION

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Outback Guidance Product Manager Mike Bannister predicts 2015 will be a year that puts precision autosteer systems within reach of even more producers, while adding simplicity through common platforms and common cables. Expanding on the successful eDrive autosteer series are the new eDriveXD, with decimeter-level accuracy, and the new high-performance eDriveXC with centimeter accuracy.

“The eDriveX Series products are engineered for compatibility with a wide variety of brands of tractors, sprayers, spreaders, and combines via hydraulic or electric steer interfaces,” says Bannister. “Both systems are designed to be fully-compatible with Outback MAX or Outback STX advanced GPS guidance terminals.”

Outback Guidance has also introduced eDriveESi, an electric steering interface system that puts accurate automated steering performance within reach of virtually any producer and application. “eDriveESi can be coupled with eDriveXD or eDriveXC units to provide the desired level of decimeter or centimeter accuracy by simply replacing the existing steering wheel,” says Bannister.  “eDriveESi is also fully-compatible with both the Outback MAX and Outback STX.”

Grower using MyJohnDeere with tabletJOHN DEERE

John Deere has introduced the MyJohnDeere Opera­tions Center. According to the company, this will allow data to be uploaded securely using back-up tools or right from the field using JDLink. Some of the many current tools on the Operations Center are Field Analyzer, online Documentation Analysis and Reporting tool and Data Sharing.

“The MyJohnDeere Operations Center provides customers with tools to improve machine uptime, logistics management and agronomic analysis in a secure, accessible way,” says Chris Batdorf, product marketing manager, John Deere Intelligent Solutions Group. “The customer is in control of the data and can share with dealers, crop consultants and anyone in their network of trusted advisers; securely, from any Internet-enabled device.”

SST Sirrus Three ScreensSST SOFTWARE

At SST Software, the company is seeing a lot of new interest in variable-rate planting prescriptions and variable-rate nitrogen prescriptions, says representative Brandon Buie. “Many of our customers are using multi-year yield analysis to define stable and unstable zones throughout their fields and then assign seeding populations to the various zones,” says Buie. “Later, variable-rate nitrogen recs are created on the same planting zones that take into account the population rate and other agronomic factors our clients have built into their equations.”

To this end, he predicts multispectral imagery will continue to gain traction in 2015. “SST has released an imagery ordering platform with partnering service providers that will allow our clients to order imagery on-demand,” says Buie. “The ag service provider is able to select the imagery acquisition company of choice and specify a date range for acquisition. Imagery is acquired, processed, then seamlessly returned to the clients SST Summit application.”

Topcon X Family of ConsolesTOPCON

According Mike Gomes, vice president of business development, 2015 will continue to be about the console and what customers can do with it — or more importantly, what it can do for them. “Functionality, connectivity, how can it help your productivity … from autosteering to variable-rate control, ISO connectivity to implements, variable-rate on-the-go fertilizer applications, especially utilizing crop sensors or scanners, and optimizing water conservation and surface drainage,” says Gomes. “Increasingly, it’s about the ability to either push data to the console or get data layers from the console about the work that has been done.”

To take advantage of this, Topcon offers a number of consoles available in different sizes and price points, led by the company’s flagship, the X30. “We have just introduced the new X25, using an 8-inch touchscreen, and the X14 with a 4.3-inch screen was introduced in 2014,” says Gomes. “All of our consoles are running the same easy-to-use, intuitive software interface from Topcon, which is called Horizon software. We continue to fuel development of products to help make precision easy to use for farmers and make equipment operation easier and more intuitive when it comes to things like multiple product variable-rate application or variable-rate application on-the-go in season, which would be accomplished using our CropSpec crop canopy sensor system. With our MAGNET or Mobile Ag Network product, a user can push files to and from the X30 or even use remote diagnostics for adjustments, transfer subscriptions, etc.”

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