CNH Industrial has entered into an agreement to buy Raven Industries, the North American developer of autonomous and precision ag solutions.

Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Raven Industries is organised into three business divisions: Applied Technology (precision agriculture), Engineered Films (specialty films) and Aerostar (aerospace).

The Raven Applied Technology division will not only give CNHI access to a wide range of field computers and guidance, steering, boom and machine height control systems, but also a growing range of autonomous solutions.

This includes a system that allows self-propelled harvester operators to monitor and operate a driverless tractor with a chaser bin or trailer. Other autonomous solutions include a powered autonomous spraying, seeding and fertiliser spreading platform.

“The combination of Raven’s technologies and CNH Industrial’s strong current and new product portfolio will provide our customers with novel, connected technologies, allowing them to be more productive and efficient,” said CEO Scott Wine of CNH Industrial.

The transaction is expected to be finalised in the fourth quarter of this year.