Autonomous electric tractors a reality

Feb 24, 2021

Ztractor is developing autonomous electric agriculture machinery for farmers

What was once a distant dream, as described by Bakur Kvezereli with examples from the early 1900s, autonomous electric tractors are now becoming a reality for farmers across the globe.

Kvezereli is the founder and CEO of Ztractor, a developer of autonomous electric tractors (AETs).

His presentation titled ‘Automation and Electrification of Agriculture Machinery’ was delivered to attendees of the 2020 Farms.com Virtual Precision Agriculture Conference & Ag Technology Showcase.

“We [have created] three models. Right now, we have almost completed and commercialized the Bearcub-24 model which will be available for customers in 2021,” says Kvezereli.

The company has also begun prototyping two other models, the Mars-45 and the Superpilot-125, which they look forward to releasing to farmers in coming years.

“Bearcub-24 is perfect for berries, vegetables and grapes, while the Mars-45 focuses more on large scale vegetables like tomatoes, and the Superpilot-125 is mostly for grains and field crops, which we are seeing more interest in,” adds Kvezereli.

Ztractor's 3 autonomous electric tractor models: Bearcub-24, Mars-45, and Superpilot-125.

With 67 sensors, six cameras, and GPS RTK, the 100 percent electric Bearcub-24 model collects real-time ag data while operating in the field. Its IoT framework and machine learning algorithm interprets the data, which leads to higher efficiency and increased yield.

“[The Bearcub-24] scans everything on the farm – on the soil level, plant level and air level – and gives the operator or farm manager a better idea of what to expect on the farm, not only what is happening today and your challenges right now, but also into the future,” he explains.

Bearcub-24 comes equipped with a 3-point hitch, continuous track, adjustable chassis system and battery management system, travels up to 15 mph, and has a PTO that supports all category-1 implements.

To learn more about autonomous electric tractors and Ztractor, watch the below video with Kvezereli.

Photos: ztractor.com

Video: predictive weed Management saves on herbicide costs and increases yield potential

Gowan Canada is partnering with Geco Strategic Weed Management to help Canadian growers take a strategic approach to weed control through data-driven prediction and planning.

Geco’s technology uses data and AI to map where weeds have been over the past five years and predict where patches are likely to emerge next season. These insights allow farms and retailers to plan ahead and target actions in the most challenging areas.

“Our technology enables the question: if you could know where your most problematic patches are and where they are spreading to, what could you do differently? That’s what our technology makes possible,” said Greg Stewart, CEO of Geco. “Many of our farms are already using our prescriptions along with Gowan products, so this collaboration is a natural next step.”