Landwards Autumn 2021
From the CEO’s desk
I do hope everyone has managed to enjoy some form of summer break with the various restrictions and travel challenges being faced. I’ve certainly no desire to travel abroad at present and happily decided to stay within our own shores. As I write this, the need for isolation following contact with a positive coronavirus case has been lifted for those that are double jabbed, which will certainly start to ease us all back to normality. With our increasingly allowed freedom, we’ve had some great weather to enjoy; the fields are busy with harvest activity and various outdoor events have started to materialise, that at last do not just involve a computer screen! 8
Autonomous vehicles Autonomous vehicles, automation and robotics are an area I have a real interest in, and I’m certainly keen to see how it continues to unfold for our industry over the next few years. Following on from Tom Beach’s excellent presentation on AgroIntelli’s Robotti project for our Lunchtime Lectures, I took advantage of a Fram Farmers event local to me to speak with Tom and see Robotti in action. I can see great potential in the concept with its Gantry tractor configuration and familiar PTO and 3-point linkage for attaching implements. For labour hungry row crop work, such as
precision drilling, mechanical weeding, etc. and providing the payback works, it’s a really viable prospect. I mentioned a Claas ‘autonomous technology’ acquisition in the last edition of Landwards, now it’s John Deere’s turn. Another big name in the news with the acquisition of Bear Flag Robotics. Bear Flag specialise in converting existing machinery to allow autonomous operation, without the need to invest in completely new concepts, utilising equipment they already have. I’ve certainly got my own views and opinions on the different types of concepts that are emerging, formed by many years designing, developing, and servicing machinery, and
