TRACTORS WITH CRUISE CONTROL? ONLY AT THE SUNBELT EXPO.
MOULTRIE, GA---Put your tractor on Autopilot. Learn how at the Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition, October 16-18, 2001.
Imagine taking the guesswork out of field layout, planting, cultivation, and fertilization, and chemical application. It is now possible with the AgGPS Autopilot guidance system from Trimble. This system eliminates guess rows and overlap for a fast, efficient way to put crop beds in straight the first time, every time, allowing the farmer to focus on other in-field operations.
“It is the next step in our vision of agriculture,” said Levi Kettle of Trimble. “It began with guidance systems that relayed information to the operator on a screen. As technology advanced, we were able to incorporate this information into a steering system with position accuracy as close as the width of a penny.”
According to Kettle, the new Autopilot actually steers the tractor. All farmers have to do is turn at the end of the row, reducing operator fatigue. They can increase speed while maintaining precision, covering more ground than a manual operator. With less row variances, every inch of the field is productive and fewer crops are destroyed during cultivation and harvest. The Autopilot also extends operating hours past normal visibility, so farmers can work longer when they need to finish a job.
Autopilot is as easy to use as pushing a button, Kettle added. Powered by a GPS-based navigation controller, the system is connected to the tractor’s power steering mechanism. An in-cab display allows the operator to select field patterns and view parameters. A light bar provides feedback on the course. Simply touching the steering wheel returns the system back to manual.
Trimble will feature this innovative concept in the “Ride and Drive” area at the Sunbelt Expo, where farmers can experience it in a field setting. The Expo will also have other cutting-edge products and services in its Precision Agriculture Section.
The Sunbelt Expo show hours are from 8:30 am to 5 pm Tuesday and Wednesday, and from 8:30 am to 4 pm on Thursday. The three-day show will be held at Spence Field; four miles southeast of US Hwy 319 on Highway 133 near Moultrie, GA. Admission is $5 per day, per person. Children under 6 are admitted free with a parent. For more information, visit www.sunbeltexpo.com or contact the Expo office at Telephone: (229) 985-1968, Fax: (229) 890-8518, E-mail: info@sunbeltexpo.com -- Address: 290-G Harper Blvd., Moultrie, GA. 31768.