Case IH keeps raising the stakes on tech it offers farmers, from autosteering tech to higher-speed iron to drones. Here's a look at some tech rolled out during the National Farm Machinery Show.

First up is AccuTurn, which is automated headland turning technology. Case IH isn't the first to this party, but the new product offers a range of features for maximizing equipment use in the field. Ryan Blasiak, AFS marketing specialist, went over the key features of the new tech.

"This is a retrofit software upgrade for Tier 3 and newer machines," he said. "We used technology from our autonomous vehicle project to develop this product."

He explained that the technology is designed to maximize equipment turning in headlands. The system's path-planning logic uses the inner- and outer-width dimensions of equipment to make the best possible turn. It can also handle skip passes — which avoid lightbulb turns for bigger machines — and can track and avoid overlap. "I know few do this, but it can keep track of a turn on one side of the field and a return on the opposite side, keeping track of coverage on those two passes," Blasiak said. "And for that skip pass, the machine will drive on in the headland only, avoiding marked obstacles."

The rising need for operators has challenged the ag industry. Today, this technology can help make inexperienced operators run like pros.

GO FASTER: The new Nutri-Placer 930 HSLD (high-speed, low-disturbance) row unit is designed to help you cover more acres in a day with higher-speed performance.

High-speed iron
The AccuTurn system is a great addition to the line, but what about the iron? Turns out the company's been busy there, too, with the launch of the Nutri-Placer 930 fertilizer applicator. This unit is designed to operate at speeds up to 11 mph.

"We've come up with a whole new configuration," said Dave Long, marketing manager, Case IH pull-type fertilizer applicators. "We have a 22.6-inch disk at the front at a 4-degree angle. That create a narrow 4- to 6-inch slot at 6 to 11 mph."

Normally, top speed for the Nutri-Placer 930 with its conventional shank is 7 mph. But farmers need to cover more territory at application time, hence the new Nutri-Placer 930 HSLD coulter option. That HSLD stands for high-speed, low-disturbance. In addition to the 22.6-inch disk up front, there's a shark-tooth closing wheel to cut through residues, followed by a rubber press wheel to level the surface.

Drone ahead
The unmanned aerial vehicle is coming into its own as more farmers turn to them to gather in-field information. And Case IH is along for the ride, too. The company has entered into a partnership with DroneDeploy to market drones, with DroneDeploy providing after-sale support.

"You can go to your dealer and purchase a drone package from us, but it will be supported by DroneDeploy," Blasiak explained.

Drone Deploy is a leading software supplier for DJI Phantom airships. The company offers training videos and will support Case IH buyers through email, chat and phone support. Adds Blasiak: "We have a program — Zero to Hero — that can get a person up and running with a drone quickly."

The DJI Phantom 4, available through Case, comes with an RGB camera, a hard-shell carrying case, an extra battery and a one-year subscription to the DroneDeploy software. As farmers turn to UAVs for information, Case IH has found a way to provide the system and support.

Learn more about all these tools at caseih.com.