Tractor air filter, drone sensor, sprayer calibrator

Hillco Technologies, long known for their systems to make hillside combine operation more efficient, has a new product. The Air Flow System is for Case IH and New Holland Tier 4A and 4B tractors – including newer Magnum, Steiger, Genesis and T9 tractors. With the system – the image shows the addition pulled away from the tractor cab where it sits. The system allows farmers who operate in dusty and dirty conditions to extend their air filter’s life, reducing expenses and downtime. The system has a self-cleaning design requiring no maintenance, and reduces the dirt entering the air filter. The AFS replaces the original air intake tube with a steel tube that has a centrifugal force precleaner mounted to it. The engine draws air through the precleaner, causing the impeller to spin. That spin expels heavy “dirty” particles out of the discharge louver. The product is approved by CNH. Learn more at hillcotechnologies.com.

The normalized differential vegetative index images that are popular for crop consultants, scouts and growers from satellites and drones are valuable. However, different light conditions can cause problems. For example the NDVI image may not look the same on a cloudy day versus a sunny day. Sentera has launched an Incident Light Sensor for use on NDVI-Upgraded DJI Phantom 4 and Phantom 3 drones. By calibrating the NDVI lighting, the ILS offers users a more accurate way to capture images from the same area over time. The system – with this sensor – can calibrate absolute vegetative health regardless of cloud cover or timing. The new sensor calibrates lighting for common variances including shifting clouds, fluctuating sunlight intensity, time lapses between flights, and sensor position. It’s a small sensor that sits on top of the drone to measure light. Learn more at sentera.com.

Innoquest, designer and maker of sensors and measurement instruments, has released the Digital SpotOn Soil Compaction Meter. The probe-type meter is designed for farmers and agronomists and automatically displays the maximum compaction value. The range for this device is from 0 to 826 PSI. You push the probe into the ground and when you pull it out the unit displays the compaction measurement. The system is accurate within 15 PSI, and the probe has a 30-inch usable length, according to the company. The probe shaft is also market every 4 inches for easy depth measurement. Learn more at innoquest.inc.

Kolpin, a division of Polaris, has launched the Rhino Grip Pro. The grip can carry up to 50 pounds and is designed to hold a range of items from fishing poles (shown) to guns, crossbows, ice augers, axes and more. The grip is made with high-strength aluminum with a protective rubber overmolded grip. The angle and rotation of the grip can be adjusted without tools and the universal design mounts to any tubular or square bar from 5/8-inch to 2-inches, and flat drillable surfaces. And Kolpin offers grips with the company’s proprietary Lock & Ride system too. Learn more at kolpin.com.

We shared the Innoquest SpotOn Compaction Meter in an earlier slide. There’s also news from the company for its SpotOn Sprayer Calibrator. The company’s sprayer calibration tool recently received the stamp of approval from Germany’s Julius Kuhn-Institut Federal Research Center for Cultivated Plants. This certification is just the first for the company as it expands overseas. The battery-powered calibrator can determine flow rates for herbicides, insecticides and liquid fertilizers. The system is available in two models – the SC-1 (shown) can be used for herbicide and insecticide nozzles for flows up to 1 gpm. The SC-4 series can be used for liquid fertilizer and sprinkler nozzles for flows up to 4 gpm. Learn more at innoquest.inc.

The folks at DroneDeploy have been busy. Recently, they announced the company’s DroneDeploy software integrates with agX. This latest collaboration means that agX users can share field boundary information with DroneDeploy for easier planning of drone mapping flights. And over time the two companies plan to integrate further to allow seamless sharing of drone images from DroneDeploy to agX. Learn more about DroneDeploy at dronedeploy.com. Check out the agX platform at agxplatform.com.

The folks at Miller Electric want you to weld, and preferably with their machines. The company is continuing its Build with Blue rebate program with its Spring Savings promotion. Through June 30, buy a select Miller welder to get a rebate of up to $300. Then, purchase added Miller or Hobart products and you could get another $200 rebate. You can combine the two rebates for $500 in savings. Learn more at millerwelds.com/buildwithblue.

SoilBiotics has released its Organic Blend 5-0-0. This is a proprietary blend of SoilBiotics Organic Growth System component products, all of which are OMRI listed for organic use. This new product is a nitrogen source to be used in organic and conventional production. The new product can be applied with a starter fertilizer, or as a foliar feed after emergence; and in conventional programs it can be part of a weed and feed program. Key benefits of the product include the fact that it does not volatilize or denitrify; it is essentially salt free, unlike some nitrogen sources; it works under cool and hot temperatures; and it provides a quick green up. When applied the product can also boost soil organic matter. Learn more at soilbiotics.com.