Deere & Company recently announced it has agreed with SpaceX to provide cutting-edge satellite communications (SATCOM) service to farmers. Leveraging the industry-leading Starlink network, this solution will allow farmers facing rural connectivity challenges to leverage precision agriculture technologies fully.
This partnership will enable John Deere customers to be more productive, profitable, and sustainable in their operations as they continue to provide food, fuel, and fiber for their communities and a growing global population.
This SATCOM solution will connect new and existing machines through satellite internet service and ruggedized satellite terminals. And this will fully enable technologies such as autonomy, real-time data sharing, remote diagnostics, enhanced self-repair solutions, and machine-to-machine communication, all of which help farmers work more efficiently while minimizing downtime.
John Deere’s SATCOM solution will utilize SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet constellation. And to activate this solution, John Deere dealers will install a ruggedized Starlink terminal on compatible machines, along with a 4G LTE JDLink modem to connect the machine to the John Deere Operations Center. The SATCOM solution will initially be available through a limited release in the US and Brazil starting in the second half of this year.
KEY QUOTES:
“The value of connectivity to farmers is broader than any single task or action. Connectivity unlocks vast opportunities that were previously limited or unavailable. For example, throughout the year, farmers must complete tasks within extremely short windows of time. This requires executing incredibly precise production steps while coordinating between machines and managing machine performance. Each of these areas are enhanced through connectivity, making the entire operation more efficient, effective, and profitable.”
— Aaron Wetzel, Vice President of Production and Precision Ag Production Systems at John Deere
“John Deere has led the agriculture equipment industry for more than two decades with satellite-based precision guidance technology. Now, we are bringing satellite communications service to the farm at scale so farmers with cellular coverage challenges can maximize the value of connectivity to their operations. The SATCOM solution unlocks the John Deere tech stack so every farmer can fully utilize their current precision agriculture technology in addition to the new innovative solutions they will deploy in the future. We initiated this process with a fierce focus on delivering value to our customers, and this partnership ensures we have a solution that meets their needs today and in the future.”
— Jahmy Hindman, Senior Vice President & Chief Technology Officer at John Deere
