Smart Tractor

The next big thing in tractor farming may mean going smaller. At least that’s how one company sees the future as they ramp up testing of an autonomous electric tractor aimed at smaller specialty farms.

The MK-V can largely function on its own thanks to built-in GPS and a system of multi-directional cameras. In addition to keeping it on track, the cameras are integrated with computer vision models to examine crops for damage from disease and/or pests. The system also maps and tags every crop to generate valuable historical data from year to year.

A farmer can monitor up to eight tractors remotely, saving time and labor while increasing safety. In addition, the autonomous platform enables 24-hour operation without overtime costs. In comparison to traditional diesel tractors with 400 horsepower or more, the Monarch tractor will max out at 70 horsepower. It can run for ten hours on a single charge, and the base model is expected to list for around $58,000.