A Kverneland five-furrow LO 300/85 plough and rubber-tracked AgXeed AgBot 5.115T2 have set the first world record for autonomous ploughing. The combination achieved an output of 20.8ha in 24 hours.
The challenge was carried out at Birch Farm, Stonegrave, North Yorkshire. Working on-land at furrow widths of 40cm and at a depth of 22.5cm, forward speeds of the 156hp Agbot varied from 5.6 to 8km/hr, and fuel consumption from the diesel-electric powertrain totalled 382.72 litres over the 24-hour period (18.4l/ha).
Kverneland demonstrator Roger Banks (left), with AgXeed’s UK sales manager Peter Robinson.
“We’re delighted to be part of this technological revolution and thrilled to have completed this world-first record attempt,” said Adam Burt, Kverneland UK’s product specialist for ploughs. “The combination of Kverneland LO plough and AgBot achieved an output that would have taken two working days to complete with an operator using a similar powered tractor pulling a five-furrow plough.”
AgXeed UK sales manager, Peter Robinson, was equally positive about the AgBot’s 24-hour performance. “It has proved that autonomy is not just for the mundane, repetitive tasks, but it can also be applied to more complex processes, such as ploughing.”
The 7.0t autonomous vehicle was equipped with a 1.5t front weight to reinforce traction for the fully-mounted plough.
The AgBot was momentarily stopped during the night, to top-up its 375l fuel tank to complete the 24-hour work period. The total area ploughed during the 24-hour challenge was verified by north Yorkshire farmer and former director of the Society of Ploughmen, James Whitty.
Earlier this year, AgXeed set an autonomous world drilling record with a Kongskilde combination that drilled 30.7ha in 14 hours:
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