By dorn on
Topic Type
Idea

The following thread has started on DIY Drones - and is a great case study about why we want to be able to have single sign-on across open source communities and subscribe/embed forums and wikis. Otherwise we will be forever having parallel posts across communities...

Farm Hack
tractor
DIY Drone
Guidance
Forums
Farm Hack Talk
Forum comment

GPS has a resolution of about 50' (even with WAAS). Precision systems will usually set up 2+ transponders at known locations (known to the inch), and the guidance system will work off those. Most of the discussion in this DIYDrones thread doesn't appear to realize the limitations of GPS - or even care about them. (And I understand why - DIYDrones are mostly interested in mapping and navigating.) When you have large equipment in a field, you need *precise* control; nearly to the inch if you're planting/cultivating row crops.
Forum comment

Looks like RTK is also mentioned to add precision (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_Time_Kinematic) but I think there are many potential applications with lesser precision requirements - like basic record keeping, and assuring a good spread pattern or when no-tilling or tedding, or tine weeding when it is hard to see where you have been previously(some times) and a little overlap is OK, and manual correction is still possible. The precision for total automation seeding is also different then holding a heading when a manual backup and correction is possible. A fairly rough system would still enable more attention to be dedicated to cultivator or transplant adjustment etc. Fun discussion to add to the electric allis G, farmbot, and the weeder platforms etc...