Welcome to the next stage of precision farming, the world of telemetry – if trials in Europe prove successful.
General marketing manager of Agco Australia, James Lang, recently gave a media briefing in Melbourne details on the next "powerful management tool" likely to be rolled out on farms of the future.
Telemetry essentially is the automatic measurement and transmission of data from a remote source, thereby allowing operators to monitor and track machinery in real time situations.
It's seen as the next step after auto-steering, variable rate application and ISOBUS machine and tractor integration technology – developments that many farmers already are familiar with.
In practice this brave new world will offer farmers and contractors the ability to remotely manage equipment and employees from their offices.
To date much of the research and development heavy lifting has been carried out in the northern hemisphere, principally on 550 Fendt tractors in Western Europe, plus another 750 systems are being trialled in Norway.
Agco's Advanced Technology Solutions centre has high hopes for the commercial success of its so-called Fleet Management & Remote Diagnostics System.
"Telemetry-based systems allow operators to control their machinery in a way never experienced before," Mr Lang said.
"Remote diagnostics mean that the machinery can be managed better, smarter and more efficiently for increased productivity and reduced costs."
More effective machine monitoring might include engine temperatures, oil pressures and even fuel levels – all from afar.
"In practice a combine contractor with a number of headers spread around a district could sit in his ute to dial up each machine from a laptop to work out whether it's running low on fuel, or monitor the yield read-outs," Mr Lang said.
By inference the system also eliminates downtime on tasks such as re-fuelling and re-filling seeders.
"These tasks can now be planned so that resources aren't extended unnecessarily; meaning people and machinery aren't sitting around at the headland waiting."
The system can also shut down a machine by remote, if necessary, for safety reasons.
Likewise, all this information will be able to provide a farm manager with detailed reports on machine efficiency, service intervals, also giving him a better handle on machine operating costs.
"The overall aim of the technology is to gain as much information as you can – the more information you've got, the more things you can improve on," Mr Lang said.
Interestingly, Agco's telemetry system replicates a vehicle's dashboard, permitting a dealership to get "a pretty good idea of what's going on" before committing to sending out a service technician, even ensuring he brings out the right parts.
"Case studies show that being able to get information to more effectively mange machinery, there's been productivity improvements," Mr Lang said.
This is a reference to overseas trials in Brazil where tractor fleet owners in the Brazilian sugar cane industry reportedly are using the system to monitor and record efficiency of individual operators.
With the system, drivers are offered incentives to look after the machine, according to Agco.
It says operators have recorded a minimum 15pc reduction in operating costs, principally due to the increased efficiency and reduced maintenance of their fleet.
Similarly a harvesting team in Western Europe detailed a 9pc increase in productivity as their combines kept working longer with less downtime.
As well, the system's tracking feature also monitored where the machines were at all times, redirecting them to where needed.
Agco's telemetry-based Fleet Management & Remote Diagnostics System will be trialled in Australia and New Zealand during the 08/09 harvesting season.
"The system should be available in our market, post trials, in 2009," Mr Lang said.
"We will be putting the system through its paces, and we expect that if overseas trials are anything to go by, that local trials will indicate the same amazing benefits."
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