CASE IH introduces first autonomous spreader
With the advancements in autonomous technology infiltrating various segments of our daily lives, the agricultural sector aims to benefit from it the most. With the demand for agriculture on the rise, companies have been developing more efficient ways in which to conduct mundane tasks. CASE IH along with Raven Industries have showcased their autonomous spreader. Here is what you need to know.
What is it?
The Case IH Trident 5550 applicator with Raven Autonomy combines proven driverless technology with an ergonomically designed spreading platform for a flexible autonomous solution. The technology stack is powered by guidance and steering, propulsion control, perception, and path planning software developed by Raven.
The Case IH Trident 5550 applicator with Raven Autonomy allows for one or more driverless machines in the field without an operator present in the cab, providing the flexibility of full control inside or outside the cab. By operating at a constant speed and with precision, the autonomous applicator provides the ultimate spreading consistency — with no human error — and allows for repeatable performance with millimeter accuracy.
How it works
The system has been designed so that operators can plan and complete an entire field operation based on mapped field boundaries from a mobile device. The Raven Autonomy perception system, through a series of advanced cameras and radar system, is constantly sensing a 360-degree environment around the machine for obstacles and motion initiation while operating. With artificial intelligence, Raven’s perception controller processes the continuous stream of images, which interprets and detects obstacles. The remote operator can view the cameras through the mobile device at any time.
What about obstacles
Should an obstacle be detected, the machine will safely come to a stop and an alert will pop up on the mobile device. From there, the operator can evaluate the situation and determine the next course of action. A variety of machine tasks and functions can be viewed remotely through the mobile device.
Where it began
This first-to-the-market innovation comes as a result of ongoing research following the Case IH autonomous concept vehicle launch in 2016 about the desire for and priority of autonomous technologies. Findings concluded that spreading is among the most utilized autonomous tasks that customers would adopt.
Will it go on sale?
The Case IH Trident 5550 applicator with Raven Autonomy will be operating in the North American market with limited availability in 2023. We doubt it will make it into the local market anytime soon, what we do appreciate is the technology and the rapid development thereof. It is only a matter of time before these machines arrive on local soil.
