Topcon Agriculture has unveiled the latest iteration of its boom height control technology, the UC7 Plus, designed to enhance agricultural spraying applications. This advanced system builds upon the established Norac boom height control technologies, offering farmers and crop service providers the potential to minimize inputs, boost crop performance, and decrease equipment maintenance costs through improved height and spray control capabilities.
The UC7 Plus is engineered to be compatible with most self-propelled and pull-type sprayers. It incorporates new sensor technology that enhances performance and reliability, notably the dynamic chassis sensor (DCS-1) which bolsters the stability and response of the boom control system. Additionally, the latest MS-1 sensors equipped with MAX Sense ultrasonic technology improve performance in challenging terrains. These sensors are robustly designed to endure harsh field conditions, featuring corrosion-resistant GF nylon housing, a protective transducer screen, and multi-axis vents.
Nick Townsend, Topcon Agriculture vice president and segment leader for smart implements, emphasized the benefits of the new technology. “The combination of proven legacy solutions with the latest in precision technology serves up an extreme opportunity for lower operating and input costs, and lower equipment repair costs,” he said. The UC7 Plus not only promises practical cost savings and sustainability benefits but also significantly reduces operator stress and fatigue through spraying automation. By automatically adjusting boom height to match land contours, the system lessens the need for constant operator monitoring of field terrain.
The technology is versatile, offering varying levels of control to suit a wide range of applications, crops, and operating styles. It is compatible with numerous sprayers, making it ideal for incremental growth and upgrades on existing spraying systems. Topcon’s testing data suggests that the UC7 Plus may improve overall spraying performance by 30 percent, considering all savings and efficiencies.
Townsend further highlighted the accessibility and practical benefits of these technologies for farms worldwide. “We believe in accessibility to these technologies and the practical benefits they deliver to farms around the world — this is a simple and powerful example of intelligent technology evolution for the greater good of all farms and systems.”
The implications of this technology are significant for the agricultural sector. By improving spraying precision, the UC7 Plus can help farmers reduce chemical usage, thereby lowering costs and environmental impact. The automation features also address the critical issue of operator fatigue, which can enhance overall productivity and safety on the farm. Moreover, the compatibility with a wide range of sprayers ensures that the technology can be adopted incrementally, making it a feasible upgrade for many farming operations.
Topcon Positioning Systems, the parent company, is a global leader in precision measurement and workflow solutions for construction, geospatial, and agriculture markets. Headquartered in Livermore, California, with a European office in Zoetermeer, Netherlands, Topcon Corporation has a long-standing history of innovation since its founding in 1932.