Automation in agriculture is helping farmers worldwide increase yields, save inputs, and gain efficiencies today. Precision agriculture innovation continues to optimize farming operations in those key areas as resources continue to be limited, and the need to sustain a growing world remains. Tech providers are trending toward an ultimate extension of this optimization — driverless autonomy. However, it is still important for farmers today to recognize that steps can be taken in their current operation to take advantage of automation’s benefits, even if driverless tech is not in their long-term future plan.

Investing in automation technology can help operations achieve success by:

A key insight to keep in mind when considering future investments: autonomy is built on the foundation of precision ag technology. Building the most effective operation starts with granular automation at the machine level. For example, automating precise variable rate application with Raven’s Hawkeye® 2 Nozzle Control System saves on input costs and reducing chemical waste. Once that is accomplished at the machine level, the next step is to increase productivity with Slingshot®’s industry-leading connectivity and machine-to-machine communication. This layering of technology increases further with solutions that automatically adjust based on environmental conditions — such as AutoBoom® XRT, which keeps booms at the right height at all times. At every turn, operations get more efficient, easier to manage, and more profitable.

Photo submitted by Raven Industries

Raven’s Path to Autonomy encourages farmers to explore what this next level of technological investment looks like for their operations. Visit http://www.pathtoautonomy.com/ to see how different levels of precision technology can help farmers reach their goals.