In a Nutshell Autumn 2023 | Page 22

RESEARCH & EVENTS

Driverless tractor trial on track

ConnectedFarms . As part of the project ’ s milestone outputs a Demonstration Day was conducted in February last year at the Loxton experimental farm , and demonstrations were held at Bright Light , Amaretto and Wilga Lane Produce . The project team will assess the day-to-day performance of the driverless tractor over an extended period to measure its consistency and reliability under a range of duties and orchard conditions . Almond orchard practices are common to many crops , so demonstration days will also be held for other industries such as olive , citrus and table grape . Most recently , AME Group Managing Director Cam Clifford and other staff members visited the ACE Orchard last month to further establish the technology at the site and to demonstrate the tractor ’ s compacity to ABA orchard staff .
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RIGHT : ABA Orchard Manager Anthony Wachtel and ACE Orchard workers Sean
Stone and Mitch Neumann pictured with the tractor fitted with the autonomous technology .
22 In A Nutshell - Autumn 2023 Vol 24 Issue 1