John Deere signs agreement with Starlink for rural internet

Deere & Company (John Deere) signed an agreement with Starlink, from Elon Musk's SpaceX, to connect tractors, harvesters and other equipment to the internet. The Illinois automaker tested the services for at least eight months before hiring.

According to Starlink, "later this year, John Deere will begin equipping new and existing machines in the United States and Brazil with Starlink to help connect farmers to high-speed internet so they can fully take advantage of precision agriculture technologies." .

In turn, John Deere reported that the system will be implemented both to connect new machines and those already in use. The technology will allow the use of features such as autonomous control, instant data sharing, remote diagnosis, advanced technical support and communication between equipment.

The company's dealerships will install Starlink terminals on compatible equipment. Additionally, a JDLink 4G LTE modem will be used to connect the equipment to the John Deere Operations Center. The launch of the system will initially be restricted to the United States and Brazil, starting in the second half of 2024.

The companies did not disclose the value of the business or the cost of services to farmers.

It is estimated that 30% of the cultivated area in the United States does not have sufficient access to internet connection. In Brazil, the amount is around 70%.