The revolutionary autonomous tractor Robotti sets foot on Bulgarian soil

It is a joy for us to see that during the exhibition there were not only questions related to how the machine works, what it is, but also specific questions such as “After how long can I have it?”. For us, this is a sign of the innovative thinking of farmers in our country and modern development of the sector- shared Kaloyan Kumanov.

Tractor for innovative farms

How does an autonomous tractor work?

The Robotti tractor is definitelya machine from the future,since it is completely controlled remotely. The boundaries of the field are set, and the machine calculates and plots the most optimized route along which to carry out the processing. It is equipped with two Kubota diesel engines, the latest generation, which meet the Stage V emission standard. It has a three-point canopy system that allows many and different inventory to be attached to it - all of them standard. Its speed in operation varies from 5 to 10 km/h depending on the processing it performs. This allows operation up to 20 hours before refueling. Its consumption, which is between 3 and 6 l/hour, makes it many times more economical than standard tractors.

Easy operation and complete safety

The Robotti autonomous tractor has an excellently developed safety system. Through a camera and a laser that scans the field, the tractor instantly reacts to obstacles (animal, pole, etc.) and stops its work automatically. In addition, it has an additional braking system, which, if necessary, can be triggered by a button from a distance.

Why did NICK choose Robotti?

The research of the NIK technical team in search of the best autonomous tractor has been going on for more than 2 years, says Enrico Biggi, Development Manager of the Italian representative office of the NIK group of companies.”When we started researching the market, the list of similar products was long, but we knew exactly what we were looking for in our autonomous tractor. We wanted a product with good economic benefits, agronomic benefits, ready for the market - because a prototype did not work for us. Surely the price, reliability and collateral of the tractor with spare parts were also important for us. Our choice was categorical - at the moment Robotti is the only product ready for use and real field work. More than 20 autonomous tractors of this brand are already in operation in several European countries”.The manufacturer of the innovative autonomous tractor is the Danish AgroIntelli - a company with a 20-year history, which has nearly 50 engineers, fully specialized in the development of autonomous machines.

And why did Robotti choose NICK?

”With NIK we will partner in Bulgaria and Romania. The reason we work together is their modern thinking and perfect reputation among farmers using precision farming. In parallel, they have a good sales network and an experienced team, which is extremely important for a good partnership with farmers. ”-shared Frederic Rom, Commercial Director at AgroIntelli

Together with AgroIntelli, NIK continues to work on adapting the machine to the requirements and needs of Bulgarian agricultural producers.

The biggest advantage of Robotti

The main advantage of Robotti is that it solves one main problem of farmers - the shortage of labor, pointed out Kaloyan Kumanov:“We are not looking for a robot because it is better than a human. Categorically! We are looking for a robot because our farmers are having serious problems finding operators. The other problem is that even if mechanizers are found for the machines, the training and entry time very often coincides with the sowing, harvesting or spraying campaigns. The problem is not just for Bulgarian farmers. The situation is the same in Romania, in Italy. Globally, it is so. And this autonomous tractor provides a solution to the problem.”

The model that was seen by the guests of BATA AGRO had carried out two demonstration sowing with Kverneland Monopill seeder just before the exhibition - one in Romania and one in the demo fields of NIK in the village of Shumen. Sunrise. The Robotti autonomous tractor can be completely ready for use and can be ordered from the official representative for Bulgaria - NIK, and the delivery time is between 1-2 months

Integrated Agronomy Service Soil Health

The new integrated agronomic service of NIK Soil Health, which was introduced shortly before BATA AGRO, also enjoyed great interest from farmers during the exhibition. Agronomists of NIK Agro Service Nadezhda Atanasova and Poliksena Marinova told more about Soil Health.The service explores the qualities of soil and its potential to function as a balanced ecosystem. It was developed by Cornell University (USA), and together with NIK it has been adapted to the Bulgarian soil and climatic conditions and needs of farmers. Fundamental to the Soil Health service is the analysis of the chemical, physical and biological indicators of the soil.

How is the process going?

The agricultural team of NIK carries out field inspection and necessary field measurements in parallel with soil sampling. They are analyzed in laboratory conditions with an extended range of analyzes, include microbiological, physical and chemical. For each block, an individual assessment is drawn up, according to the established methodology. As a final result, the NIC team prepares a comprehensive report that contains all the results of the analyses and proposes a plan for managing and improving the indicators through short- and long-term measures. Through this comprehensive assessment of soil health, farmers can build a holistic picture of their soil - its strengths and weaknesses. The new Soil Health service is extremely useful for farmers looking to conservation agriculture.

Looking at the digitalization of the sector

With a view to the digitalization of the sector, a new software platform was presented before the premiere at BATA AGRO, which will bring together in a single portal the data of the different digital solutions that NIK currently offer to farmers, namely agronomic services AgroBalanceand Soil Health, the crop monitoring platform GeoScanand fleet tracking solution FarmTrack. The new solution gives farms one-stop access to soil analysis results, variable fertilization maps, machine inventory tracking data, pivot system motion tracking, weather station data and much more. So all the data (big data) from the farm is one click away.

A look at conservation practices: No-till solutions from Horizon Agriculture

For the first time, the brand Horizon Agriculture was presented at BATA AGRO NIK. The companies have been partners since autumn 2020 and offer Bulgarian farmers solutions for No-till and Strip-till farming through spring and autumn planters and cultivators. An interesting fact is that the founder of Horizon Agriculture is George Sly, who has extensive experience in the company SLY, specializing in the production of inventory for No-till farming. Currently with his team of engineers in the UK, George is developing the technology and perfecting every detail of the inventory so that it is as beneficial to the farmer as possible and at the same time gentle to the soil. Horizon Agriculture frames combine perfectly with the world leader in precision sowing Precision Planting - so farmers can build their ideal modular solution for autumn or spring sowing, which can be upgraded over time. Examples of such modular planters were the spring model PPXand autumnal DSX. An interesting fact about the autumn No-till planter is that the exhibit is customized to be able to apply 5 products with a variable rate during sowing, whereby not only soil treatments are minimized, but also the accompanying sowing fertilization.