John Deere, the renowned agricultural machinery manufacturer, is set to launch its latest innovation, John Deere See & Spray, in Europe following its acquisition of Blue River Technology for a staggering $305 million. This groundbreaking technology will initially be available on the R900i trailed sprayer series, equipped with 36-metre spray booms, and will be offered to select customers in France and the UK in 2024. There is also potential for its availability in Belgium, Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands.
Future Farming had the opportunity to witness the European version of See & Spray in action at a customer’s farm in France. This customer has gained hands-on experience with the technology over the past two years. While the American version of See & Spray is capable of green-on-green spot spraying, the European version, co-developed with the John Deere sprayer factory in Horst, the Netherlands, currently focuses solely on green-on-brown applications.
In addition to the green-on-brown functionality, John Deere plans to introduce another application at the product launch in 2024. Known as See & Spray Select, this feature will be capable of leaf/foliage desiccation in potatoes and wheat. However, John Deere is still working on finalizing the pricing for See & Spray Select, whether it will be based on a ‘per-metre’ price or a different pricing model altogether. The company has stated that retrofitting existing sprayers with this technology may not be financially viable for farmers.
The See & Spray system requires one colour-based visual camera per metre of boom width. These cameras capture 30 frames per second and, when positioned at the required 50-centimetre boom height, have an 80-centimetre forward view. The cameras are designed to detect greenness against a different colored background, typically soil. The system includes a ‘row extraction’ feature that identifies row crops placed at 25 centimetres or more and spot sprays weeds in between the rows.
It is worth noting that the cameras do not require an active light source, relying solely on sufficient daylight for operation. The boom is equipped with white balance cameras on each side to measure the intensity of natural light, similar to the white balance setting on photo and smartphone cameras. To process the vast amount of images captured by the 36 cameras, five rugged image processing units/computers are installed on the spray boom. Each unit can handle up to eight cameras, and all data collected are automatically uploaded to the John Deere Operations Centre.
The spray tips used in the See & Spray Select system are ordinary 110-degree tips with individually electronically controlled solenoids/nozzle bodies. They are not pulse-width modulation (PWM) controlled, making this an on/off spot spraying system rather than a single nozzle variable rate application. The integrated sensors operate at boom heights ranging from 30 to 120 centimetres, with the software compensating for driving speed, yaw, and filtering out crop movements caused by wind when the row extraction setting is used.
John Deere’s See & Spray Select ‘Europe’ will be offered with a single tank and single product application. The PowrSpray system, responsible for the management and control of the spray liquid, includes a hydraulically controlled centrifugal spray pump that determines the flow, referred to as direct rate control by John Deere.
The introduction of John Deere See & Spray in Europe marks a significant milestone in precision agriculture. By combining advanced camera technology, image processing, and precise spraying capabilities, this innovation has the potential to revolutionize weed control and optimize crop health. As John Deere continues to refine and expand its offerings, farmers across Europe can anticipate improved efficiency and sustainability in their operations.