Thales aims for poll with Landstar GPS

By Jim Breen

Irish agricultural contractors are among the foremost when it comes to embracing new technology. One example of this is the uptake of GPS (Global Positioning Systems) technology. Used for area mapping, yield monitoring and, most importantly perhaps, as a navigation aid, the concept has now proven its worth.

As yet however, there are relatively few players in the Irish market. CharterNav GPS are one of better-known importers; offering a range of Trimble sourced navigation kits. John Deere also offers parallel swathing kits, as does RDS and a limited number of others.

Now however, you can add another name to the shortlist: <?tf="Arial-i">Thales Landstar - a UK based operation providing GPS services around the globe.

T Flynn & Sons of Mullingar is the Irish importer, having allied with the firm on the back of its experience in farming circles. Thales' existing tie-up with Field Star - Massey Ferguson's GPS system - was also a deciding factor.

Philip O'Hara of T Flynn & Sons says: "We took on the agency last year. Since then, we've sold a number of these units, with the emphasis not only on parallel swathing but also on record keeping facilities. The latter feature," he says, "is where some competing systems fall short."

User experience

Contractor Barry White of north Co Dublin uses one such unit. He looked at a number of systems before purchase, but opted for the Landstar due to its ability to record and process relevant information.

He says: "We had been using our big trailed Bredal spreader at 12-metre widths. The GPS guidance system now allows us to spread across widths of up to 30 metres; with no striping.

"The light-bar, mounted inside the cab, indicates if and when steering corrections are needed, thus keeping the current run parallel to the previous one."

Beyond that, Barry says, there's a record keeping facility that's very easy to use. "You can type in the farm owner's name, the driver's name, the field stats and any relevant soil or weather details. The GPS system automatically logs the path that the tractor and spreader take around the field and will show up any overlaps or missed strips. With care and a properly set-up system, says Barry, these are easily avoided."

Once the job is done, data can be downloaded onto a PC. "In future," says Barry, "we may use specific information when invoicing or for variable rate application. For now, it's just part of a broader record keeping process."

Background

Sounds good but who or what is Thales Landstar? To find out, we asked to Jim Sugden, a UK based rep with the firm.

He says: "The name may be new to Irish farmers but the Landstar brand is well proven on the continent. The technology is now tackling its seventh harvest. And our hardware, software and signal provision systems are finding favour with an increasing number of users, even as far away as New Zealand.

"Thales provides GPS services not just for agriculture but for a long list of industrial and surveying applications. The technology has been tried and tested in almost every working environment."

He adds: "The market is growing year on year; with guidance systems proving very saleable in France and Germany. Now, we're tapping into the potentially large Eastern European markets.

"Apart from basis guidance systems, auto-steer facilities may feature prominently in future," says Jim. "That said, ‘Precision Farming' complete with yield monitoring and all that it entails is a more involved process."

What about the thorny issue of price? A Thales Landstar GPS basic guidance and recording system will set you back several thousand Euro. But for any prospective buyers, it's another option to check out. Bear in mind however, that as more players battle for a slice of the market the price of such gadgetry might even drop as suppliers pull out the stops to entice buyers - but not by as much as you might hope!