FENDT UNVEILS NEW TECHNOLOGY AT AGRITECHNICA
Fendt is pushing the boundaries of machinery even further by showing new battery, artificial intelligence and autonomous technology at Agritechnica in its new Fendt Future Zone.
Fendt launched the battery-electric e107 V Vario in 2023, followed by the standard e107 Vario in 2024. Both models offer 50 kW (68 hp) in Eco mode and up to 66 kW (90 hp) for a short time in Dynamic+ mode.
A new Fendt e100 Vario with a battery-electric range extender from GreenIng will be on show for the first time at Agritechnica. The range extender will be mounted on the front linkage with a precision seed drill mounted on the rear linkage which uses relay cropping and a row and lane detection local guidance system.
“This is a ground-breaking system that operates independently of GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) to use environment sensors which follow land contours precisely and dynamically without tramlines, a swath or a series of plants in advance,” says Fendt’s Ed Dennett.
The recently launched Fendt 800 Vario features a new cab with a new lighting concept and options for installing sensors such as the Tech Rails and numerous smart farming options including the new Fendt Workgroup function, Tramline Control or TIM.
At Agritechnica, visitors will be able to see the 800 Vario with a new OutRun retrofit kit from PTx Trimble which provides autonomous driving.
“With this system, the Fendt 800 Vario can act autonomously when harvesting with a trailer, or, with the OutRun Tillage Kit, it can autonomously carry out soil cultivation after harvesting,” adds Mr Dennett.
The OutRun retrofit kit links combine harvesters and grain carts to carry out some harvest work autonomously.
“This could be a big breakthrough for areas that struggle to find sufficient labour when it comes to harvest. Obstacle detection sensors on the tractor and intelligent route planning will enable the combine operator to request the tractor via a tablet whilst moving,” says Mr Dennett.
A further Fendt and PTx Trimble development is RowPilot, an AI-based row management system that can be used to manage mechanical hoeing devices with ISOBUS compatibility. The artificial intelligence-driven technology recognises plants at soil level which increases accuracy on slopes and in windy conditions. The drift of the hoe on the slope is additionally compensated for by an additional position sensor.
“In contrast to conventional systems, AI relies not only on the colour of the crops, but also on its geometric properties. This means RowPilot can even operate in areas with dense weed coverage and inhomogeneous crops,” adds Mr Dennett.
Operators using RowPilot can set the position of the camera and the row spacing on the terminal. Information on the height, width or colour of the crop are not needed, enabling the system to quickly change between different crops. The system also facilitates individual row lift which operates automatically using section control or by controlling the lateral-shift frame.
“Fendt has recently launched new tractor ranges but these developments in battery, autonomous and AI driven technologies are a sign of how a new type of machine-driven efficiency is going to help farming save time and money. Agritechnica is the perfect location to show these exciting developments, and we look forward to welcoming visitors to the Fendt Future Zone,” concludes Mr Dennett.