Russian Company Brings Smart Autopilot to Agricultural Machinery
A new system allows tractors and combines to operate automatically in the field.
Russian company Itelma, a leading developer and manufacturer of electronic components for transport, has unveiled its own autonomous driving system for agricultural machinery. The system allows tractors and combines to operate automatically in the field along preconfigured routes. The technology is designed to ease the workload of machine operators while improving the profitability of farm operations.
Upload the Map and Go
As the company told IT-Russia, the system consists of a combined navigation controller mounted on the roof of the vehicle, an in-cab display, and a control panel. The operator uploads a field map and activates the autopilot. The machine then follows a predefined green line on the screen, turns automatically, and moves to adjacent passes. The route can be created manually or uploaded from the cloud.
The system uses satellite signals with correction, providing pass accuracy ranging from 1–2 to 3–7 centimeters. If the correction signal is lost, the autopilot continues to guide the machine autonomously for up to 30 minutes. In other words, unstable connectivity does not pose a threat to operation.
Kirovets With Autopilot
The system can be installed on virtually any type of machinery, including Kirovets tractors, Rostselmash equipment, MTZ tractors, self-propelled sprayers, and even combines. The product is included in Russia’s register of domestic electronics and is available under preferential financing programs. The company is also an official supplier to the St. Petersburg Tractor Plant, allowing farmers to purchase new tractors with Itelma’s autopilot preinstalled and covered by a full warranty.
According to the company, using the autopilot increases productivity by 20–25 percent and reduces fuel consumption by 3–5 percent. Minimal overlap between passes helps save seeds and fertilizers and, crucially, preserves soil fertility. The technology also makes it possible to work efficiently at night.
This domestic system is said to match European, American, and Chinese counterparts and in some respects even outperform them.
