Yanmar has participated in a field test to demonstrate the use of precision location technology in autonomous agricultural equipment, held by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the working group consisting of Thai and Japan organizations. The demonstration in the Sri Racha District of Chonburi, southeast of the capital of Bangkok, served to draw attention to the labor-saving potential of autonomous technologies in agriculture.

The demonstration event was held with the cooperation of the Thai government to further develop the precision positioning technologies. For its part, Yanmar is to conduct testing in Thai fields of its Robot Tractor that went on sale in Japan in October 2018. Through its participation in the demonstration event, Yanmar hopes to further the development of agricultural technologies in Thailand, while contributing to the realization of a sustainable agriculture through the delivery of labor-saving, highly efficient agricultural machinery and services enabled with advanced IT and communications technologies.

The Demonstration Project

In February 2015, the Thai and Japanese governments made a joint, top-level announcement regarding cooperation in the introduction in Thailand of the electronic reference point network using satellite positioning technology. Then in June 2017, the two governments concluded a memorandum of intent regarding cooperation on the improvement of the electronic reference point network. Since then, the Japanese government has established the GNSS Japan Pavilion in the Space Krenovation Park of the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA), to support the development of high precision positioning technologies in various fields of industry.

Two Modes of Autonomous Operation

In addition to advancing forward, “Auto Mode” allows the tractor to automatically drive in reverse, stop and execute turns. In “Linear Mode,” while certain driving maneuvers such as turning are performed by hand, the tractor can travel back and forth on its own when cultivating land. Switching between these two modes is possible in the 2-Series, allowing you to customize it for different operators, or according to the skill of the individual and the work itself. Operation and settings are controlled via a durable, dustproof, and waterproof 10-inch tablet that allows for one person to operate two tractors, as the tablet in the manned tractor can be used to operate the unmanned tractor side-by-side with the manned tractor, or even in reverse.

Learn more at www.yanmar.com.