Hexagon furthers autonomy in agriculture through new positioning and sensing kits demonstrated by pioneering R&D tractor

(Calgary, Canada, September 9, 2020) Hexagon’s Autonomy and Positioning division has launched its first autonomy positioning and sensing kits for the agriculture market and validated these solutions in its new autonomous research and development tractor. Through collaboration between its leading brands NovAtel and AutonomouStuff, both part of Hexagon, their autonomous positioning and sensing kits were developed as part of Hexagon’s Smart Autonomous Mobility solutions portfolio launched at CES in early 2020. With decades of expertise in GNSS positioning, autonomy and safety-critical applications, NovAtel and AutonomouStuff created these solutions with agriculture machinery OEMs and robotic machinery manufacturers in mind.

As a demonstrator vehicle for Smart Autonomous Mobility, the autonomous tractor features object detection and classification, simultaneous relative localization and mapping, absolute positioning through GNSS technology, and localization sensor fusing. Built to illustrate the viability of new positioning and sensing kits, the tractor incorporates safety-critical learnings with situational and environmental awareness, and manual remote control when needed. This platform validates how these solutions and capabilities accelerate autonomous development.

The positioning and sensing kits are optimized for autonomous agriculture applications, including products like the SMART7 antenna and autonomous robotic capabilities through the NovAtel OEM7 driver powered by the Robot Operating System (ROS™). The kits also feature TerraStar GNSS Correction Services, ALIGN heading and relative positioning firmware, and SPAN GNSS+INS technology. Though designed for agriculture, the kits integrate seamlessly into other off-road autonomy applications.

“These positioning and sensing kits provide developers with technology bringing assured positioning to autonomy in agriculture,” explained Michael Martinez, agriculture segment manager at Hexagon | NovAtel. “Robotic-machinery manufacturers or those experienced in autonomy may be unfamiliar with the unique challenges facing agriculture applications. Conversely, those experienced with agriculture may not have the expertise to integrate positioning and sensing products within autonomous solutions. We can help in both cases through these positioning and sensor kits, as demonstrated by our autonomous tractor.”

“We’re excited to use this tractor as a platform to validate the human identification, obstacle detection and enhanced environmental awareness that our sensing kits add to our assured positioning solutions in agriculture," said John Buszek, VP of products and services at Hexagon | AutonomouStuff. "The sensing and positioning technologies we’ve integrated on this demonstration platform showcase the Smart Autonomous Mobility portfolio, which enables and accelerates the development of autonomy in agriculture applications from prototyping to production.”

For more than 30 years, NovAtel has delivered industry leading GNSS positioning solutions as a trusted provider for the world’s top precision agriculture companies. Combined with AutonomouStuff’s decade of expertise in autonomy and sensor fusion, they significantly reduce the barrier of entry into autonomy to accelerate the time to market for autonomous solutions in agriculture, construction, mining and other off-road applications.

Learn more about their agriculture autonomy capabilities by taking a virtual tractor tour via their 3D interactive app or online at novatel.com/ag-autonomy.

Off-Road Autonomy Inquiries:
Tanner Whitmire, Agriculture Business Development, NovAtel
Tel: +1 (361) 800-1979
Email: tanner.whitmire@hexagon.com 

NovAtel Media Inquiries:
Jessica Fielding, Global Marketing Lead, NovAtel
Tel: +1 (403) 919-3388
Email: jessica.fielding@hexagon.com

AutonomouStuff Media Inquiries:
Holly Tatum, Director of Marketing, AutonomouStuff
Tel: +1 (309) 291-0966 x111
Email: holly.tatum@hexagon.com

About Hexagon

Hexagon is a global leader in sensor, software and autonomous solutions. We are putting data to work to boost efficiency, productivity, and quality across industrial, manufacturing, infrastructure, safety, and mobility applications.

Our technologies are shaping urban and production ecosystems to become increasingly connected and autonomous — ensuring a scalable, sustainable future.

Hexagon’s Autonomy & Positioning division is a global technology leader, pioneering end-to-end solutions for assured positioning for land, sea, and air. Its solutions power intelligent positioning ecosystems in vital industries and safety-of-life applications, enabling the advancement of the Autonomous X (cars, UAVs, industrial vehicles, trains, vessels, and more). The division includes leading brands NovAtel, Veripos, and AutonomouStuff.

Hexagon (Nasdaq Stockholm: HEXA B) has approximately 24,000 employees in 50 countries and net sales of 5.1bn USD. Learn more at hexagon.com and follow us @HexagonAB.

About NovAtel

NovAtel, part of Hexagon, is a global technology leader, pioneering end-to-end solutions for assured positioning for land, sea, and air. NovAtel designs, manufactures and sells high precision positioning technology developed for efficient and rapid integration. Its solutions are empowering intelligent positioning ecosystems in vital industries that depend on the ability to tackle the most complex challenges in the most demanding environments. Learn more at novatel.com.

About AutonomouStuff

AutonomouStuff, part of Hexagon, is a global technology leader, pioneering solutions for R&D platforms, products, software and engineering services for the advancement of robotics and autonomy systems. Learn more at autonomoustuff.com.