German company Horsch presented the Gantry RO G 500 autonomous drill at the Brazilian Agricultural Show. Prior to the launch, it was tested in north-eastern Brazil for the 2022 season, sowing soybeans.
The choice of Brazil for the delivery and trials was not a coincidence – the large areas and the two harvests per year are the best way to exploit the potential of an autonomous self-propelled drill.
The Horsch RO G 500 self-propelled drill runs autonomously along lines planned on a computer. The 500 hp engine unit is mounted in the center, followed by the Horsch Maestro outfeed elements with a total working width of 24 meters. The double V-shaped discs with a depth-limiting wheel ensure precise seed placement and constant seed depth maintenance. The seed hopper has a capacity of 12 000 liters. The seed drill can be used not only for soya beans but also for other crops.
The self-propelled autonomous drill project was launched by a German company 20 years ago. According to the company’s founder, Michael Horsch, it is a priority project for Horsch, which is focusing on detection and environmental safety in addition to GPS technology and improved traffic planning to achieve higher efficiency. For this purpose, several technologies are being tested and evaluated in order to optimally integrate the robot into the workflow.
“Autonomy allows us to operate highly advanced systems using digital tools such as smartphones and tablets, leveraging agronomic expertise to create a new and modern operating model,” notes Horschʼ.