Sabanto Inc. said it has made its autonomy kit available for Kubota M5 tractors. Sabanto’s system retrofits existing machinery, allowing operators to turn tractors they already own into autonomous machines.
Automating field operations promises to be a significant development in addressing the labor woes of the agricultural industry, as it allows for continuous tractor operations while freeing up staff to perform other critical work on the farm. In addition, the new technology entirely changes how farmers think about scaling.
Instead of addressing possible labor constraints by purchasing larger machines, Sabanto’s technology allows farmers to use smaller, lighter equipment, resulting in less compaction and lower equipment costs. Automation will enable the industry to continue moving forward by doing more with less.
The release of the Kubota M5 aftermarket autonomous system marks Sabanto’s first system availability to end users in North America. Systems for additional manufacturers and tractor models will be announced later.
“We are completely disrupting the way the industry views autonomous equipment, and we are bringing in partners who share our vision,” said Craig Rupp, Founder, and CEO of Sabanto. “We see a future of smaller, smarter, lighter, less expensive, and more sustainable swarms of autonomous equipment that will enable users to cover more ground with less.”
“When auto-guidance was introduced to the market, it enabled farming operations to adopt new ways to complete tasks,” said Matt Hesse, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Sabanto. “Autonomy will do the same thing. It allows operators to look at new ways to perform their farming operations. Multitasking greatly comes into play here. When the Sabanto system is working on one task, the grower is free to work on additional tasks. When that happens, you double your work capacity.”
Sabanto said it has proven, through extensive field testing, its ability to automate a variety of field operations over significant acres. Leveraging a fleet of smaller 60- and 90-horsepower tractors, the company has autonomously tilled, planted, seeded, weeded, applied, and mowed across Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Texas.
The company says that its advanced software has been pivotal in deploying multiple systems for multiple days of non-stop operation.
To serve customers at the local level, Sabanto is building an elite network of dealer partners who have all been working in the ag technology solution space for decades, ensuring customers experience world-class purchasing guidance and technical support.
