Article taken from the South East Farmer, written by Nick Rainsley
Axis is a new cloud based agronomy tool, developed by Agrovista and several partner companies including Muddy Boots.
Agrovista says the tool is a breakthrough for collating multiple data sources onto one platform. “Our intention was always to make the system cloud based so that farmers could access and add to their information via multiple platforms, such as smartphones, satellite mapping equipment and their PCs,” said Lewis McKerrow, Agrovista’s head of precision services.
“Hosting the information in the cloud also means that farmers can give their advisers access to their account for a two way exchange of information and advice.
Axis Field Pro is integrated with Muddy Boots’ Greenlight Grower Management system and will incorporate its online crop management system, field recording and data sharing.
“What makes Axis invaluable as a business tool is the system’s ability to exchange information between devices, people and software systems,” Mr McKerrow added. “In future, we will develop Axis to allow farmers and advisers to integrate all of their devices, systems and advisory information into the Axis cloud.”
Cloud technologies have been growing in prominence and importance within the wider business community for real time storage, file sharing and web based communications.
Within the next few years Mr McKerrow predicted that live data connections between tractor and office will be commonplace. “Farmers will be able to send prescription plans such as spray recommendations in real time to both the operator and the machinery and will receive the completed data back.”
Axis will include practical management aids such as yield and soil mapping, compliance data alerts, technical agronomic updates, seven day weather forecasts, spray window forecasts and variety information.
The tool has been trialled by a group of Agrovista growers who have provided very positive feedback and recommended some useful tweaks ahead of this summer’s launch.
Axis will come in three package options, the first Axis Info, being free to register for and including recommendations from Muddy Boots, three day weather forecasts, variety information, product labels and data sheets, a basic mapping package and a weekly fertiliser market update.
Secondly there is Field Pro which adds Greenlight Grower Management (GLGM) and GLGM iPad app, seven day detailed Plantsystems weather sections, including spray window wind chart, technical agronomic updates and current trials data.
Finally the MapIT Pro adds a Google based precision farming mapping package, including yield map upload, sensor mapping, zone maps and variable rate plan creation. The MapIT Pro also works with the MapIT Pro iPhone/iPad app in the field.
There is also a MapIT app giving farm maps in the pocket which can be synchronised with Axis MapIT Pro to keep all farm maps on a mobile device.
The whole farm or individual fields can be viewed with this app. This will allow the spray operator to check the needs of each field and record the work as done immediately after folding the booms and leaving the field. Scout global positioning system (GPS) points such as weeds, pests, diseases or other areas such as manure heaps or drains can also be marked on map. The inbuilt GPS and compass in the device can navigate back to these points at a later data. New fields can be created within the app and given a boundary which is then immediately uploaded to Axis.
Mr McKerrow said the system is entirely flexible in that it can be controlled from the farm office and the flow of information can be monitored to ensure it only goes to the correct recipients.
Axis is a new cloud based agronomy tool, developed by Agrovista and several partner companies including Muddy Boots.
Agrovista says the tool is a breakthrough for collating multiple data sources onto one platform. “Our intention was always to make the system cloud based so that farmers could access and add to their information via multiple platforms, such as smartphones, satellite mapping equipment and their PCs,” said Lewis McKerrow, Agrovista’s head of precision services.
“Hosting the information in the cloud also means that farmers can give their advisers access to their account for a two way exchange of information and advice.
Axis Field Pro is integrated with Muddy Boots’ Greenlight Grower Management system and will incorporate its online crop management system, field recording and data sharing.
“What makes Axis invaluable as a business tool is the system’s ability to exchange information between devices, people and software systems,” Mr McKerrow added. “In future, we will develop Axis to allow farmers and advisers to integrate all of their devices, systems and advisory information into the Axis cloud.”
Cloud technologies have been growing in prominence and importance within the wider business community for real time storage, file sharing and web based communications.
Within the next few years Mr McKerrow predicted that live data connections between tractor and office will be commonplace. “Farmers will be able to send prescription plans such as spray recommendations in real time to both the operator and the machinery and will receive the completed data back.”
Axis will include practical management aids such as yield and soil mapping, compliance data alerts, technical agronomic updates, seven day weather forecasts, spray window forecasts and variety information.
The tool has been trialled by a group of Agrovista growers who have provided very positive feedback and recommended some useful tweaks ahead of this summer’s launch.
Axis will come in three package options, the first Axis Info, being free to register for and including recommendations from Muddy Boots, three day weather forecasts, variety information, product labels and data sheets, a basic mapping package and a weekly fertiliser market update.
Secondly there is Field Pro which adds Greenlight Grower Management (GLGM) and GLGM iPad app, seven day detailed Plantsystems weather sections, including spray window wind chart, technical agronomic updates and current trials data.
Finally the MapIT Pro adds a Google based precision farming mapping package, including yield map upload, sensor mapping, zone maps and variable rate plan creation. The MapIT Pro also works with the MapIT Pro iPhone/iPad app in the field.
There is also a MapIT app giving farm maps in the pocket which can be synchronised with Axis MapIT Pro to keep all farm maps on a mobile device.
The whole farm or individual fields can be viewed with this app. This will allow the spray operator to check the needs of each field and record the work as done immediately after folding the booms and leaving the field. Scout global positioning system (GPS) points such as weeds, pests, diseases or other areas such as manure heaps or drains can also be marked on map. The inbuilt GPS and compass in the device can navigate back to these points at a later data. New fields can be created within the app and given a boundary which is then immediately uploaded to Axis.
Mr McKerrow said the system is entirely flexible in that it can be controlled from the farm office and the flow of information can be monitored to ensure it only goes to the correct recipients.