GPS in Agriculture in the Year 2000

1. Increasing farm sizes need more efficient management. They must do their job always in an environment friendly way. Therefore, site specific information is the key for this type of agriculture. Location sensing becomes to the challenge of the agriculture of tomorrow. 2. From the multitude of possible location sensing systems for agriculture GPS offers the best possibilities. It requires no additional infrastructure and guarantees largely easily the cover all agricultural managed areas. 3. The location sensing finds their main application area within information and documentation (yield detection, monitoring of fertilizer supply and so on). Location sensing is thus not only apart from the crop technology. Rather it is an element of the tractor as the universal vehicle in the agricultural operating at all. 4. Simultaneously location sensing opens the local treatment during fertilizing and pest control. It allows for the first-time environment friendly agriculture possible. 5. Ultimately location sensing leads to navigation. It opens new aspects for single vehicle as well as for vehicle groups. For the first time driverless vehicle can emerge. They can be used as followers of manually guided vehicles. Still further in the future unmanned vehicle swarms like a "herd of robots" can do even each labor on schedule with lowest soil and environment load.      «

1. Increasing farm sizes need more efficient management. They must do their job always in an environment friendly way. Therefore, site specific information is the key for this type of agriculture. Location sensing becomes to the challenge of the agriculture of tomorrow. 2. From the multitude of possible location sensing systems for agriculture GPS offers the best possibilities. It requires no additional infrastructure and guarantees largely easily the cover all agricultural managed areas. 3. T...     »