FieldDataSync
Topic: Development of a manufacturer-independent wireless communication solution for agricultural machinery without internet connections. Implementation of secure collaboration among multiple machines in a field area with real-time process data exchange.
Keywords: Manufacturer-independent wireless communication, Real-time data exchange, Interoperability in agricultural machinery, Vehicle group management, ISO 11783 standard extensions
Project Partners:
- Chair of Agrimechatronics TU Munich
- AGCO GmbH
- OSB connagtive GmbH
- LACOS GmbH
- digisaar UG
- Forschungsgruppe Verkehrstelematik, Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft des Saarlandes
Project Description:
In the FieldDataSync project, a manufacturer-independent, wireless data transmission solution is being developed, enabling communication between agricultural machines without relying on mobile internet connections. This allows multiple working devices to collaborate on a single field, even in remote regions, and share data securely and reliably in real-time. The special focus on the solution's interoperability builds on the existing ISO 11783 standard as well as the prior work of the AEF.
Besides the pure wireless technology, the FieldDataSync project also focuses on vehicle group management. This aims to enable multiple (autonomous) machines to collaborate seamlessly over long distances, for example, by sharing joint coverage maps of the already worked area in real time. As an example, this enables to work with multiple vehicles simultaneously in the same field without incurring losses due to double processing. Other use cases target joint navigation or controlled traffic farming with multiple vehicles. Additionally, remote control of individual actuators, video stream transmission, and the display of process data are enabled by wireless communication and are examined both theoretically and practically in the project.
Work plan:
The FieldDataSync project involves comprehensive planning and development of a manufacturer-independent, wireless data transmission solution for agriculture. In the first work package, based on the requirements of farmers as well as tractor and implement manufacturers, the concept development up to the integration of the developed technologies into agricultural vehicles will be elaborated. Building on this, the selection of wireless communication technologies and the implementation of algorithms for the robust formation and management of machine groups will take place. A special focus is on the interoperability of the solution to ensure communication between machines from different manufacturers.
Solutions for the application-specific sharing of coverage maps, the navigation of multiple vehicles in the field, the remote control of actuators, and video streaming between machines will be developed. The applicability of the developments will be tested through ongoing demonstrations with real machines and work processes and presented to a broad audience, for example, at trade fairs. The goal is to enable secure and efficient wireless communication to increase productivity and efficiency in agriculture.
Acknowledgments

This project is funded by the Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft (BMEL).