CNH’s computer vision and machine learning technology is empowering sustainable farming

CNH is committed to delivering value through sustainable innovations that empower the customers. In November 2021, the Company acquired Raven Industries, a leader in precision agriculture technology, integrating its technology, including its best-in-class application control capabilities, into its equipment portfolio.

In March 2023, CNH further advanced its sprayer automation technology by acquiring machine vision company Augmenta. These strategic investments give farmers cutting-edge solutions that boost efficiency, reduce waste and meet sustainability goals.

"If farmers start their careers at twenty and retire by the age of seventy, with one cropping cycle per year, this only equates to fifty planting/seeding, growing and harvesting seasons," says Chad Biegler, Precision Agriculture Product Manager, Crop Production, at CNH. "We, as technology enablers, have a large responsibility and need to earn our customers' trust. We need to help them make the right crop decisions in each of those seasons."

CNH's sense and act technology, like the Augmenta Field Analyzer, is designed to help farmers overcome these challenges by bringing precision and automation to input applications throughout the cropping cycle.

Crop inspection

Contrary to common practice, crops do not require uniform application of chemicals such as fertilizers and pest control. Depending on conditions, some areas of a field may need a higher or lower input rate than others. Applying too much could be wasteful and may risk runoff into rivers, lakes and groundwater, which could impact the environment. On the other hand, not applying enough means crops will likely not reach their potential, which impacts profits and reduces the amount of food produced.

Traditionally, farmers would address this by walking through the crop as it is growing, inspecting the plants. Or, an agronomist would examine field conditions, acre by acre, and make recommendations. This is time-consuming and expensive because the recommendations still need to be manually added to a spraying system.

There are cheaper alternatives to manual inspection, but these have limitations. Sensors implanted in the field can cut inspection time; however, the data must still be collected and added to a spraying system. Satellites cover ground even faster, but without granular detail and only if weather conditions are clear. Aerial drones offer a compromise, but still don't remove the need to transfer data before spraying crops.

Making savings with an automated solution

When CNH acquired Augmenta in 2023, it unlocked a groundbreaking solution for farmers. Augmenta's sense and act capabilities outperform manual inspection by identifying high and low-potential areas in real time as the operator drives through the fields. It can also detect early indicators of plant stress before visible symptoms, allowing farmers to proactively address potential issues.

Augmenta's multispectral camera captures images across visible (red, green and blue) and non-visible wavelengths, then uses machine learning and algorithms to determine in real time optimal input application rates. With the Augmenta® Field Analyzer positioned on top of a tractor and connected to Raven's automation tools, farmers can gather crop data and apply treatment at the optimal rate at the same time, eliminating the need for separate data transfer.

This, in turn, increases efficiency by covering fields faster with ultra-precise control. The sprayer can maintain a consistent application speed without slowing down to compensate for turns. "As the vehicle turns, the outside nozzle moves faster than the inner one," explains Biegler, "so more product will need to flow through the outer nozzle. All of that is managed automatically."

Sense and act technology enables farmers to manage their crops more effectively without needing to sort through complicated data to make application decisions. Augmenta's technology offers capabilities that allow farmers to use their time and resources more efficiently, reduce their costs while maintaining productivity and meet sustainability regulations. The system, which can be added to one or more of the farmer's machines by a dealer in a matter of hours, returns its investment in less than a year with typical operations -- and the benefits can be seen immediately.

"Augmenta's greater variable rate application (VRA) provides savings of up to 20 percent in some instances," says Biegler. "With water being the main carrier with a spray application, the tank or tender would need to be filled multiple times to apply the whole field. By applying VRA with Augmenta, less product is being used and the number of refills needed is also reduced."