Raven Industries has introduced its autonomous platform, Dot.
Unveiled at the Farm Progress Virtual Experience, the autonomous platform builds on Raven’s portfolio of market-leading precision ag technology, including the company’s recent advancement to full canopy steering and guidance through VSN Visual Guidance. With VSN, Raven says machine operators can cover 20 percent more acres due to increased speed from no longer requiring manual steering. It reduces driver fatigue and misapplication in the field, which can cost growers yield and profit of up to 2 percent. VSN, the only high-precision non-contact full canopy solution in the industry, also uses radar to determine its path, the company says.
Dot is compatible with a variety of implements, including New Leader’s NL5000 G5 Crop Nutrient Applicator, which was shown at the introductory demonstration. New Leader is a strategic implement partner that will accelerate early adoption for Raven Autonomy.
“Bringing autonomous solutions to the farm will allow us to connect all aspects of the operation for the first time,” says Wade Robey, executive director, Raven Autonomy. “We will connect, control and optimize the full precision agricultural ecosystem. This provides farmers greater control and access to more information to optimize decision making. Farmers will see efficiency gains across their entire operation, better equipping them to compete in a challenging world.”
Raven’s advancements in autonomous technology for agriculture operations are aligned and built upon the company’s past years of innovation. From Slingshot connectivity and logistics, to guidance and steering and application control — this full spectrum of technology comes together to increase efficiency across all aspects of an operation, the company says.
