Hexagon’s Autonomy & Positioning division, a leader in autonomy and positioning solutions for agribusiness, will be present at the International Exhibition of Machinery for Agriculture and Gardening (EIMA) in Bologna, Italy. The event, which takes place from November 6 to 10, 2024, is one of the most important in the sector, bringing together experts, companies and farmers to discuss and showcase technological innovations that can drive the digital transformation of agriculture.
At the company’s booth, experts will be available to explain how its positioning and autonomy technology solutions can increase agricultural productivity. Featured products include the Smart7 and Smart2 antennas, as well as machine control solutions such as the CoreBox and Track Controller, and the Ti7 and Ti10 displays, which enable the use of precision agriculture resources.
“Showcasing our technology at EIMA 2024 is crucial to showcase Hexagon’s advanced agribusiness technologies to the European market. We will be driving the next level of agricultural autonomy solutions, benefiting manufacturers and agricultural robotics companies worldwide,” said Bernardo de Castro (pictured), VP of Agricultural Strategy for Hexagon’s Autonomy & Positioning division, which recently won the Spirent Sustainability Through Navigation Award from the Royal Institute of Navigation in England.
EIMA International is one of Europe’s leading trade fairs dedicated to agricultural machinery, gardening and related technologies. Organised by FederUnacoma (Italian Federation of Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers), EIMA takes place biennially at the BolognaFiere exhibition centre in Bologna, Italy.
The last edition of the event, in 2022, registered 327 thousand visitors and more than 50 thousand business meetings, reinforcing its importance in generating commercial partnerships. This year, an increase in participation and business results is expected. "This is a great opportunity to meet our target audience of agricultural machinery manufacturers in person, to present new products from the product catalog and expand our international presence", adds Bernardo.
The Hexagon team will showcase satellite-based positioning, machine control and perception technologies that can be used separately by agricultural machinery manufacturers, but are also modular – they can complement each other for greater autonomy and positioning accuracy. According to Szabo, firmware options can be added as needs evolve, ensuring hardware upgrades and longevity. Two examples are the Smart7 antenna, which functions as a primary receiver for multi-constellation, multi-frequency GNSS signals; and the Smart2 antenna, Hexagon’s entry-level solution, which offers benefits such as dual-frequency tracking and terrain compensation. Combined, they provide redundancy in the positioning signal to ensure high accuracy at low speeds.
In addition, the Core Box will be on display. This technology works as a steering controller that, through navigation coordinates via Ethernet or Wi-Fi, supports various types of steering actuators and offers a modular and easy-to-integrate solution for manufacturers. "Having reliable equipment that correctly determines the direction in which a machine is oriented is essential for autonomy in the field. In practice, industry scenarios can be challenging and it is important that equipment can be controlled reliably and safely. GNSS positioning, machine control and perception are the fundamental technologies for this," explains Bernardo.
One of the company's goals at the fair is to increase the knowledge of agribusiness producers and manufacturers regarding the availability of solutions to reduce the impact of problems caused by ionospheric scintillation. This is a phenomenon that involves rapid and irregular variations in the intensity of radiofrequency signals that travel through the ionosphere, a region of the Earth's atmosphere that contains ionized particles, which makes it capable of reflecting and refracting radio signals, such as those used in satellite communications and GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) navigation systems. It was aggravated this year by the arrival of a new peak in solar flares and has caused headaches for those who depend on satellite positioning technologies to operate agricultural machinery.
To address the impacts of the phenomenon, Hexagon has released new firmware enhancements that, when combined with its TerraStar precise point positioning (PPP) solution, reduce position error and downtime due to flicker. Powered by an expansive global network, TerraStar corrections offer continuous worldwide coverage, providing data for safe and reliable positioning anywhere, anytime and in all weather conditions.
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