Spraying at plant level
New Agrifac Condor is bursting with electronics
With a lot of drum roll, Agrifac introduces the Condor Endurance II sprayer. A hefty self-propelled vehicle that is bursting with electronics. That sounds complicated, but it should offer a lot of convenience. In addition, the company is making a leap in precision farming. It goes from application per working width to switching per nozzle.
We have known the Condor Endurance since its introduction in 2013. The big brother of the standard Condor has an 8.000 liter tank and will remain so. The 320 hp Volvo engine has been replaced by a Cummins one of no less than 500 hp. "The extra power is required to be able to spray at more than 30 kilometers per hour," explains product manager Roelof van 't Ende. "In Australia this is an important question. The top speed of the machine is 60 km/h."
Boom height control
The StabiloPlus chassis got a longer wheelbase, so that 2,30 meters high tires fit under it. The ground clearance is 138 centimeters and the turning circle remained the same. It is, however, smaller on the road. The compact construction of the wheel motors reduces crop damage. The J-boom and balancing remain unchanged. The maximum boom width is 55 meters. What is new is the in-house developed StrictHeightPlus boom height control. It consists of 2 sensors: 1 on each boom half. Such a sensor is divided into 3 zones, so that a wider surface can be viewed.
Apart from a new color scheme and engine, the ingenuity is in the electronics. Agrifac comes up with a series of names for this, which is a bit of a puzzle even for the employees. They come under the Need Farming umbrella. In short: the vision of crop protection at plant level with the use of the data and the knowledge that the farmer has. The new Endurance is Agrifac's first machine in which all these techniques are combined. Not everything is immediately available on the first series.
New systems:
- StrictSprayPlus: compensation when cornering
- SmartDosePlus: drug injection
- DynamicDosePlus: variable delivery per capful with pulsating cap technology
- StrictHeightPlus: boom height control
- AICPlus: Artificially Intelligent Crop Sensors
- EcoTronicPlus II: new terminal and side console with joystick
When working with task cards in practice, the working width is regarded as the accuracy. On the field sprayer usually considerable widths of up to 52 meters. With the Endurance II, Agrifac takes a leap and switches to cap level, which should enable control at plant level.
The caps are standard at a distance of 50 centimeters from each other, but alternatives are possible. Each cap switches at a frequency of up to 100 hertz per second. The pulsating spray technique is seen as the holy grail for many spray manufacturers. According to the company, the technology complies with the latest laws and regulations in the field of drift.
Pulsed Spray Technique
Opening and closing the valve at lightning speed changes the fluid delivery. There are no restrictions on the working width. Agrifac calls this DynamicDosePlus. In bends it is possible to adjust the delivery. For this purpose, pre-prepared calculation models are used, which calculate by how much the tree tip has been slowed down or accelerated. Under- or overdosing is thus avoided. This is called StricSprayPlus.
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Self-learning cameras should eventually control the sprayer. Here's a prototype.
Create real-time task cards
Controlling the application rate per cap is interesting for many applications, for example with liquid fertilizer, weeds or haulm killing. Task cards can be used as input, which use satellite or drone images as a basis. AICPlus goes one step further. Cameras on the tree monitor the crop and create a task map as you drive.
The technique is self-learning, so that he masters practical situations better and better. The company still has a lot of development to do on this. This method also requires a substance injection system, because you never know exactly how much substance you are going to spray. Injecting into the tree prevents residual liquid.
Displaying and operating all those electronics logically is an enormous task. Agrifac therefore decided to design a new control. Claas supplies the cab, but without controls. There is speculation about a cabin all of its own for the future. You can load the task cards on 1 large touchscreen and see the environment in 3D. All buttons are within reach. According to the manufacturer, the operation is simplified and logically structured. Detail: your smartphone charges wirelessly in the armrest.
Pay as you go
Agrifac does not yet have a price for the Condor Endurance II. Production will start in April. A 0-series was built last year and it has been experimenting with the dispensing per cap for some time. Only the new model will be available at the end of 2018. The normal Condor will receive an update with the same technology within 1 to 2 years.
The manufacturer is also thinking about an alternative purchase method. "One of the ideas is pay-by-use", explains van 't Ende. "Every new machine is delivered with the technology. If you use it, you pay an amount for it. Whether that is a fixed rate or depending on your savings is still being discussed. Customers are often hesitant to use new technology. to get started. This is how we hope to convince them."
The controls have been updated. It should now be easier to operate.
Niels van der Boom
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