Autonomy is a hot topic in the world of technology, and it has been a focus in the Technology Corner. With a particular interest in retrofit kits for mowing, tillage, and now, planting cover crops. Jake Warford, a precision specialist with Linco-Precision in Nokomis, Ill., shares that they are just beginning to explore the possibilities of autonomy in their customers’ operations.

Currently, their main focus is on the sod market, which requires a lot of labor-intensive tasks like frequent mowing over large areas. However, Warford sees potential for autonomy in row crop applications such as fertilizer and lime spreading, as well as cover crop planting. He mentions using their autonomy kit to sow cover crops and wheat last year, illustrating the endless opportunities for automation in agriculture.

Warford and Linco-Precision offer the Sabanto autonomy kit, which follows a philosophy of “crawl, walk, run.” They are currently in the walking phase, slowly implementing autonomy in various agricultural tasks. Warford believes that the possibilities for autonomy in agriculture are vast and varied, and there is an application for it wherever it can be made to work.