Reimer Robotics Autonomous Tractor

Hey DIY Drones here is a video highlighting my work over the last year.  I've decided to try and start a company automating tractors.  This is the first video highlighting my work.  

I'll be showing it an agricultural trade show that starts tomorrow, but wanted to post it here first as this is where I got my start.  If you have seen some of the earlier videos I posted this one has quite a few new shots I was saving so you will get a great overall picture of how it works in the field.  If you aren't familiar with it I am essentially using a pixhawk in the tractor and some custom GCS software in the combine.  Here is a link to the thread I started, http://diydrones.com/group/ardurover-user-group/forum/topics/apm-rover-in-tractor-setup and if you want to keep up most of the changes and code are now on github https://github.com/mattdreimer/AutonomousGrainCart ; I am extremely grateful for this community and the open source hardware and software. I am getting the chance to present at this trade show (Ag Days https://www.agdays.com/) the focus of the talk will be inspiring other people to try this with a heavy emphasis on why open source is awesome!

E-mail me when people leave their comments –

You need to be a member of diydrones to add comments!

Join diydrones

Comments

  • HI Matthew, Its been long overdue but good work with your tractor, I am part of a team who are on the Hands Free Hectare project www.handsfreehectare.com with your work it allowed us to pursue the goal of trying to grow a crop start to finish with never entering the field. I would like to have a chat with you some time about your next projects and plans. well done J Gill

  • I checked out your videos! Very impressive, nice work.  

    I have only tried to control the transmission through the CANBUS with no success. I believe PTO and hydraulics should be doable on a modern tractor, there are companies doing it but I have not tried.  It isn't too difficult to sniff the traffic on the bus and filter out the noise. I have been using an arduino with canbus shield.  As far as the transmission goes I ended up tapping into the wires right after the switch in the cab.  I run them into an arduino and then out the other side.  The arduino passes the signal through (so tractor behaves normally in manual mode) but once system is armed the arduino gives the appropriate signals based on the input from the pixhawk and the tractor goes into gear.  If I were hooking in the hydraulics or pto I would probably do something similar just because I know it will work but a CANBUS solution would be very elegant.  Let me know if I can help with anything else or if you make progress with the CANBUS let me know I would be very interested.

  • Hello Matthew,

    very impressive!!!

    I'm busy to build my own autosteer system for my tractors ( http://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/homemade-autosteerin... )

    I would like now to take control over the tractor's functions (pto, lift,...) through canbus; Have you any experience on this topic?

    Regards,

    Stef

  • Hi, Matthew, I am interested with use Your program in Trimble autopilot (TMX 2050 display have Android  OS). Do You use optical pattern recognition when working together with the harvester?

  • Hey Eric stop by anytime if you are in the area.
  • This is fantastic!  I farm over in Alberta, but sometimes drive through Manitoba, maybe I'll have to come see your project!  We have 2 combines but no grain cart yet, but cultivating and general fieldwork would probably be a good use for this as well.  Pretty amazing stuff you are doing!  My cousin runs a company in Utah called Autonomous Solutions Inc (asirobots.com), they do this kind of thing commercially with some farm stuff, but mostly huge surface mining trucks and other industrial equipment.  It's pretty amazing you are able to do mostly the same stuff with open source software/hardware.  Keep up the amazing work!

  • Moderator

    I am very pleased to see this coming from another Manitoba based innovator.

    keep up the great work!

  • Developer

    Well done Matthew!

  • Amazing!

  • Great job!

This reply was deleted.