Working with agricultural navigation in low visibility

As we all know, the work schedule of farmers, especially during harvest time, usually takes place after dusk or even at night due to weather conditions. Poor visibility and operator fatigue can affect work efficiency and travel. It's in exactly these situations that agricultural navigation shows one of its biggest advantages.

Precision driving regardless of visibility

The PWL NanoSteer system uses GNSS positioning to guide the tractor along pre-determined paths. This means the operator doesn’t have to constantly look for the next pass to make the most of the field’s width.

After proper system calibration, the device helps keep the tractor on the correct track no matter the time of day.

When working with RTK correction, the accuracy we can achieve is around 2.5 cm or less. This ensures that the passes are carried out very precisely, whether we’re working after dark or during the day.

Dust and poor visibility

Limited visibility doesn’t happen only at night or after dark. It can also occur when working on very dry soil, where dust rises in large amounts. Tracks from previous passes can completely disappear and become almost invisible.

The automatic steering system doesn’t need visible tracks, because it already has pre-set paths it follows on a specific field.

Navigation won't replace the operator

We have to remember that agricultural navigation will never fully replace the operator, because it's just a device that can make mistakes. The farmer is still responsible for work safety, needs to monitor the field, control the machine, and watch out for obstacles in the field.

Even though the operator has to stay in the tractor while working, navigation makes their job much easier and allows them to rest a bit during the more intense season.

When you can see the biggest difference

On a sunny day in a flat field, in ideal conditions, the operator can easily manage straight passes without using technology. The real advantage of navigation becomes visible when conditions worsen or after several hours of work, when fatigue can lead to uneven passes and overlaps or missed spots.

Navigation gives us the ability to work in any weather conditions. Let's not limit ourselves to working only on sunny days. Farming doesn't always allow that :)