Agricultural GPS: Everything You Need to Know

Are you looking to stay on top of the best in modern farming? Agricultural GPS is a new advanced technology offering farmers and agricultural professionals unparalleled precision and accuracy. Especially when it comes to all aspects of crop yield, from scouting personnel performance to inputs management, with its breakthrough capabilities, agricultural GPS is an invaluable asset for reducing input costs and improving yield mapping. 

This blog post will take a closer look at how these systems work and the many advantages they can provide for your operation.

Table of Contents

What Is Agricultural GPS?

Modern farming is revolutionized with agricultural GPS technology. This Global Positioning System allows landowners to precisely map their properties, have full insight into soil conditions, and monitor crop progress and yield. It also helps to evenly distribute fertilizers or chemicals with pinpoint accuracy.

Tractor guidance system

Tractor guidance system

How Accurate Is Agricultural GPS?

Agricultural GPS technology is invaluable for farmers seeking to make the most of their land. GPS receivers offer greater accuracy by allowing them to pinpoint the exact latitude and longitude coordinates of a given plot. With this data, farmers can make much more informed decisions on fertilizer, pesticide, irrigation levels, and application strategies. Moreover, the data collected from these sources can produce highly detailed yield maps that can further inform better decisions regarding crop management.

Agricultural GPS offers around an inch of accuracy, though this depends on the type of receiver and how strong the signal is. Generally speaking, if your GPS provides a decent strength signal, you can expect more precise readings.

Crops monitoring

Does GPS Allow for Precision Farming?

Precision farming is a term used to divide fields into smaller plots to manage them more effectively. By using agricultural GPS, farmers can map out their fields with greater accuracy than ever before. It also allows them to optimize their inputs on each plot for maximum yield results. This technology also allows farmers to make better decisions about applying fertilizer or pesticide or how much water they should use.

Specifying field boundary using GPS

Specifying field boundary using GPS

Uses of GPS in Precision Farming

1. Machinery Tracking

GPS technology is an indispensable tool for farmers, as they can track the location of farm machinery, such as tractors and harvesters, in large field sizes or agricultural plots. It allows farmers to monitor efficiency, plan better routes and help ensure that all agricultural operations are completed on time and precision.

2. Soil Sampling

GPS technology can precisely sample soil conditions around a field or agricultural plot. This data can then determine nutrient levels, pH, and other important soil parameters. It allows farmers to make informed decisions about crop selection and use the most suitable fertilizers.

A farmer sampling soil conditions

A farmer sampling soil conditions

3. Environmental Control

This technology can also help farmers ascertain environmental conditions such as moisture level, temperature, and wind speed within their fields or plots. This information helps them understand the local microclimate so they can adjust their practices accordingly for maximum yields in a sustainable manner.

4. Crop Yield Map Creation

With GPS-guided precision farming techniques, farmers can create detailed digital maps of their fields. They indicate yield performance across different locations in the plot or field area. This data can then identify areas where yield improvement is important, and corrective measures can be implemented accordingly.

5. Improved Farming Routes

Last but not least, one of the major advantages that GPS offers is precision farming. It improves routing capabilities inside and outside a given field or plot area. Farmers can use this technology to plan more efficient routes for agricultural activities such as tilling or harvesting. It ultimately leads to higher yields over time while reducing fuel costs simultaneously.

GPS technology used for farming

GPS technology used for farming

Budget GPS Guidance System Options For Farmers

Patchwork Blackbox Air

Key Features

  • This bundle includes a powerful Android tablet and Blackbox Air Bluetooth GPS unit to assist you in your expeditions.
  • Android devices are compatible only.
  • Enjoy precise measurements of up to 30cm (12in) without fail.
  • There are no subscription fees.

Patchwork is renowned for its user-friendly, cost-effective lightbar guidance systems. The Welsh enterprise has launched Blackbox Air—a tablet version costing significantly less.

You can access this Android app through the Google Play store. It also presents a digital lightbar similar to what you’d find on their more expensive models towards the top of your screen.

The GPS also has a 10Hz Bluetooth receiver with the package, providing an approximate precision of (8-12) in.

Precision onTrak

Key Features

  • Apple-devices compatible only
  • Achieve precise measurements with guidance accuracy of up to 30cm (12 inches).
  • There are no subscription fees.

The innovative Agricision offers a lightbar that you can mount on the tractor’s bonnet, providing a different approach than other systems. The idea is that having this located outside of the cab makes it easier for operators to drive accurately because they don’t need to constantly shift their attention from the field to a monitor.

This strategy has proven successful in allowing farmers more efficient driving capabilities with little interruption or effort needed.

The lightbar also houses a 10Hz GPS receiver which connects to multiple correction and satellite signals that grant an accuracy of (8-12) in.

A farmer using a GPS guidance system

A farmer using a GPS guidance system

Sixty-5 Technologies Grass-Guide

Key Features

  • Samsung Tab 4 tablet
  • Android-devices compatible only
  • Enjoy precision accuracy of up to 8-12 inches (20-30 cm).

Sixty-5 Technologies created a system specifically tailored to the needs of farmers dealing with GPS tasks such as spreading fertilizers, reseeding, and spraying. This efficient tool offers straightforward instructions for operators instead of complex lightbars. It also provides boundary markers and coverage maps. Furthermore, this technology shows the user how fast they are moving forward and how much area they have covered.

Summary

Agricultural GPS systems have become increasingly accurate and affordable in recent years, opening up new opportunities for farmers looking to improve yields and efficiency. While GPS alone cannot enable precision agriculture, it is an important tool for machinery tracking, yield map creation, and more. If you have more questions, please get in touch with us.

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