A connected future
The Almond Board of Australia team can monitor water pumps , fertigation systems and security from anywhere in the Almond Centre of Excellence ( ACE ) Orchard , thanks to roaming wi-fi generated by the ZetiRover fitted to the ABA ' s ute .
By Ella Henson ABA Sustainability Officer
IMPROVEMENTS in on-farm connectivity are becoming increasingly necessary for almond growers . The AgTech industry is growing at a rapid rate , with developments ranging from autonomous tractors to software for soil and water management . However , a lack of internet connectivity in many rural regions of Australia may limit almond growers ’ capacity to adopt the latest technology . For this reason , improving on-farm connectivity is needed to sustain the Australian almond industry . Starting from humble beginnings in the back of an electronics store in Wagga Wagga , Zetifi was founded with the objective of overcoming the connectivity challenges faced by farmers and rural residents . In the company ’ s early days , founder Dan Winson worked closely with farmers and farm machinery manufacturers to develop solutions designed to fill these connectivity gaps on farms and remote travel corridors . Zetifi has successfully produced innovative connectivity solutions for remote environments including the ZetiRover and the ZetiCell .
For farms and communities in rural and remote areas with limited mobile coverage , Zetifi offers its ZetiCell technology . The ZetiCell works by optimising and extending the internet connection via a private long-wave wi-fi connection . In some locations ZetiCell technology can also be used to provide shared public wi-fi as an alternative to 3G or 4G connectivity , providing cell signal for essential services communications and passing motorists . Zetifi also offers the ZetiRover , a roaming wi-fi hotspot that can be attached to vehicles or farm machinery , providing access to multiple mobile and wi-fi networks in areas with poor coverage . It works by using antennas and multi-carrier software to convert patchy coverage into fast long-range Wi-Fi that is powerful enough to be used to make phone calls , send videos , and upload data on-farm . The ABA is utilising the ZetiRover to improve on-farm connectivity at the Almond Centre of Excellence . For Orchard Manager , Anthony Watchel having the ZetiRover installed on his ute means that the water pumps , fertigation systems , and security cameras , which are all operated from an iPhone , can be monitored from anywhere in the orchard . Connected Farms are Australia ’ s leading provider of on-farm connectivity solutions and can help solve connectivity problems for farmers ranging from simply being able to make a phone call from the farm to providing effective connectivity for agricultural robotics and autonomous machinery . The ABA is working with Connected Farms to further improve on-farm connectivity at the Almond Centre of Excellence . The single Connected Farm Hub site with a 25-metre tower proposed for the Almond Centre of Excellence , will provide coverage suitable for handheld mobile devices , robotics , autonomous systems , sensors , and other AgTech . This system will allow for mobile broadband over the entire orchard and ensure coverage in the middle of tree rows . Connected Farm Hub sites hold many benefits for the almond industry , their dense coverage layer is perfectly suited to orchard environments , with low frequencies providing superior foliage penetration . The site ’ s connectivity is designed to enable full functionality for ag-robots and autonomous vehicles , even in dense foliage , and possesses all the features of a mobile network , allows for the use of voice data , and ensures data security .
industry . australianalmonds . com . au
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