The innovative product is a result of intensive cooperation between PROGIS as well as the German Agricultural Co-operative (Maschinenring) and the German software house Landdata Eurosoft.

In the past, the machine drivers received printed lists with their daily work plan, now they navigate to the beet fields with the help of satellites and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The pilot project was developed at the Dillingen Agricultural Cooperative and was presented together with ProGIS professionals to the heads of the Südzucker organisation. The new system is set to be used in the upcoming sugar beet campaign (Autumn 2000).

Until now the result of the harvest had to be sent back to the Agricultural Co-operative by mail. "The whole procedure was very time and work intensive", says the Manager of the Bavarian Agricultural Co-operative, Erwin Ballis. The sugar beet fields will now be registered into WinGIS with the click of a mouse. At the Dillingen Agricultural Cooperative 800 fields were entered in just two days, reports Manager Dieter Ott. "In this way, planning can be done directly on the monitor, with direct transmittal to the harvester by mobile phone", explains Ballis. So the driver can see on the monitor which field is the next in line. The headquarters has an online overview of the settled areas.

As a result of the entire installation the user receives a complete geographical information system, the so-called ZR-WinGIS application, in which the beets are registered and allocated automatically to the ZR-Win database on an individual map. After registration of the required beets for the campaign, the rooter and loader routes are planned on the central ZR-WinGIS system. Then the tours can be individually stored for each rooter and loader and transferred by telephone to the appropriate rooter, also shown graphically. The rooter, respectively the loader machine, gets its daily tour already before work starts. The driver can determine his current position and head for the indicated beets.

On arrival of the rooter at the beet to be cultivated, a touchscreen coupled to an on-board computer provides the means to enter the status: 'start work' and 'work finished'. This information is transferred to the central office just by a button click. So the central office is permanently aware of the current work status.

By adding the respective beet layer, a symbol is placed automatically on this position and transmitted via GSM to the central office. This is an important information for the central controlled loading machine and with it for the removal of the beets. After completion of the work, the on-board computer produces and prints a delivery note, containing important information, that is also transfered electronically, and is used as a base for accounting and other evaluation purposes.

ProGIS Software, Austria

(0943) 4242 26332

office@progis.com

www.progis.com