Challenges of Digitalizing the Seeding Campaign
The project was launched with the goal of automating control over compliance with seeding technology and providing the ability to monitor operations in real time throughout the entire seeding campaign. Agricultural enterprises operating seeding complexes need continuous monitoring of seeding material consumption and the uniformity of its distribution across the processed area. Without telematic equipment, quality control of seeding was conducted manually, which prevented prompt response to deviations from technological settings and led to uneven consumption of valuable seeding material.
Controlling Seeding Material Consumption
One of the key tasks was to ensure remote control over the uniform consumption of technically valuable seeding material during seeding operations. To achieve this, it was proposed to equip the seeding complex with additional hardware enabling continuous tracking of material distribution across the processed area. The system records deviations from specified seeding parameters and transmits the data to the monitoring system, where the dispatcher or manager receives a visual picture of work progress in real time.
Minimizing Unauthorized Access to Material
An equally important task was to minimize access to seeding material except during the refilling period. Before the system was implemented, access control was limited to the physical presence of personnel at the work site. Telematic equipment digitized this aspect: the system automatically distinguishes technologically justified material consumption during seeding from unauthorized spills or other deviations, ensuring transparency of the chain from refilling to actual seeding.
Solution: Remote Control of the Seeding Complex
The solution is built on Galileosky devices installed on seeding complexes as part of tractor units. The devices collect data from the complex's factory sensors and transmit it to the monitoring system, where settings are adapted for visual control and operational alerts. The state of the seeding complex is displayed not only on the standard display in the machine operator's cabin but also at the dispatcher's workstation in a unified interface, providing a single picture for all stakeholders.
Real-Time Monitoring of Seeding Parameters
The system ensures control of seed and fertilizer flow in the seed pipeline, fan speeds, vacuum in the hopper, rotation of the dispenser shaft, grain and fertilizer level in the hopper, tool deepening, and seeding rate. This volume of telematic data allows not only monitoring the current state of the complex but also recording the causes of agricultural equipment downtime. Remote control of the machine operator's actions in non-standard situations, such as seed pipeline blockage, ensures prompt response without the agronomist's physical presence at each complex.
Integrating Telematics into Material Logistics
Beyond seeding control, the system addresses the logistics of seeding material. Through monitoring, timely replenishment of the seeding complex with material resources was ensured. The dispatcher sees material remaining in the hoppers in real time and can plan refilling delivery before the complex stops due to a shortage of seeds or fertilizers. This simplifies logistics and eliminates downtime associated with waiting for replenishment. Objective remote control of downtime makes it possible to distinguish technically justified stops from inefficient use of working time.
Results of Implementing the Control System
Implementing telematic control of the seeding complex delivered measurable results confirming the effectiveness of digitalizing the seeding campaign. On equipped seeding complexes, deviation from seeding settings was less than 0.2 percent, while on complexes without installed equipment, deviation from the norm during actual seeding operations was about 15 percent. Reducing deviation by tens of times means not only saving seeding material but also improving the quality of field processing, which directly affects the yield of the next campaign stage.
Efficiency Gains and Staff Optimization
Remote control freed the agronomist to conduct other field activities. Previously, the agronomist had to be physically present at the work site to control seeding quality; now the system provides transparency of progress remotely. The efficiency of the seeding campaign increased by 10 percent, a significant indicator for an industry where even a one-percent yield increase is substantial. Minimization of product theft risks was achieved through continuous monitoring of material consumption and recording of all deviations from technological settings.
Benefits of Telematic Seeding Complex Control
Telematic equipment of the seeding complex based on Galileosky devices transforms the traditional seeding process into a digitalized, transparent, and manageable process. Timely material replenishment, objective downtime control, uniform seeding material consumption, and minimization of product theft risks — all these results are achieved through a continuous flow of data from the complex's sensors to the monitoring system. The seeding campaign ceases to depend on subjective personnel assessments and begins to rely on measurable, verifiable indicators.
Prospects for Scaling the Solution
Experience from implementing the system on a single seeding complex opens prospects for scaling the solution to the entire fleet of the agricultural enterprise. The successful reduction of seeding deviation from 15 to less than 0.2 percent demonstrates that telematic control can fundamentally change the economics of the seeding campaign. Deployment on additional complexes will require only repeating the proven configuration, and the accumulated data will allow further refinement of technological settings and continued improvement of field processing efficiency.
Contact: sales@galileosky.com
