Basic Concepts

Basic Concepts

Introduction

The following article covers fundamental concepts related to the use of precision agriculture technologies, focusing on fieldwork planning, the use of automatic steering systems, and data formats compatible with various agricultural equipment.

Path Plans

In equipment on machines with an automatic steering system, it is possible to create a detailed and precise plan, ensuring optimal use of land and resources.


AB Lines and Adaptive Curves

AB lines are predefined paths created using automatic steering technology. They ensure machinery moves in straight and precise lines in the field.
For older machinery that does not support line projects, AB lines must be used to ensure planting and spraying are performed in straight and consistent lines, optimizing coverage and reducing overlap. AB Lines can be created outside of the equipment but most are made in the equipment. The equipment uses the AB Line with information from the operator (track spacing) to create a plan for the equipment right on the monitor

Field Boundaries

The boundary (perimeter) of the field is crucial as it serves as the reference for creating all projects (planting, spraying, and harvesting).
The quality of the boundary survey determines the overall quality of the project. Therefore, a high-precision project in the field cannot be expected if the boundary is not accurate.

The boundary survey is conducted by traversing the perimeter and recording the path using a GPS device. This method is highly recommended due to its precision.

Recording internal boundaries (e.g., obstacles such as trees) is also essential to ensure they are respected when creating the project.



Guidance Systems

The agricultural automatic steering system is a mechanism attached to the machine's steering, allowing its control to be performed automatically. For this, the machine must have a GPS to determine its location and indicate the path to follow.
This allows for the automation of machinery, requiring minimal operator intervention and ensuring precise work. The automatic steering system is part of precision agriculture and is essential for increasing land productivity.

These systems can be installed on various equipment, including tractors, sprayers, and harvesters.


How Does It Work and What Is It For?

Automatic steering systems in agriculture serve several purposes, but two are the most important:
  • They make field tasks more efficient and completed in less time.
  • They reduce production costs.
  • Increased productivity

The operator uses software to create the path that the tractor, harvester, sprayer, or any other machine should follow. Using an antenna, the agricultural machine receives the GPS satellite signal and coordinates to perform its assigned tasks precisely.
When the task is automated, the operator intervenes only when absolutely necessary.

All stages of the production cycle are suitable for using automatic steering systems, including:

  • Soil preparation
  • Planting
  • Application of crop protection products
  • Harvesting

Main Automatic Steering Brands and Their Formats

  1. John Deere
            John Deere monitors can only read files with a specific configuration. Launch Pad can export in this format.
         
  1. Trimble
            Depending on the monitor model, the export will be in AgGps or AgData format.
         
  1. CNH CN1
            The format used by CASE New Holland systems.
          
  1. ISO XML
            Various monitors accept this file format.
           
  1. Generic Shapefile
            The shapefile format is used by different geospatial and vector databases in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). It is considered almost a universal format. Unlike most file formats, the shapefile consists of a collection of files with the same name but different extensions, stored in the same directory.

Among these files, three are mandatory for proper shapefile functionality:

  • .shp: This is the shapefile itself. However, if distributed separately, it cannot display the stored data. It must be distributed alongside two other files.
  • .shx: An index file containing the geometry characteristics.
  • .dbf: A database file containing the attributes of the features.

Each piece of information in these files corresponds sequentially to the others (e.g., the first record in the .shp file corresponds to the first record in the .shx and .dbf files, and so on).

In addition to these three mandatory files, a shapefile may include optional files, which are not required but can be generated automatically by geoprocessing software when needed. Examples include:

  • .prj: Coordinate system and projection information in a well-known text (WKT) format.
  • .idx: Index file used in AutoCAD and ESRI formats.
  • .sbn and .sbx: Spatial indexes.
  • .shp.xml: Geospatial metadata in XML format.
  • .cpg: Codepage file.