Lack of on-farm connectivity is the single greatest barrier to improving productivity and sustainability in Australian agriculture.
Farmers increasingly rely on high-level data analytics, automation and networks of devices that talk to each other. But getting WiFi coverage to run these devices over vast distances and line-of-sight obstacles is a major challenge.
The team is building antenna arrays that can be fitted to mobile and stationary farming equipment to provide long-range communication. Tractors and trucks will become roving WiFi devices with a range of up to five kilometres, providing farm-wide coverage. The technology will be a combination of adapted off-the-shelf and bespoke solutions.
The new technology will be built for Australian conditions and will be trialled at the Global Digital Farm at Wagga Wagga.
* Commercial WiFi product available to farmers within 18 months
* Farm-wide connectivity drives greater uptake of agtech
