Imagine if your tractor could "see" every inch of your field, adjusting fertilizer or pesticide rates on the fly—sparing thin patches, targeting problem areas, and cutting waste without lifting a finger. This isn’t magic; it’s precision farming, and a little-known technology called ISOBUS TC-GEO is making it possible. Let’s break down how this system works and why it's a game-changer for farmers tired of guesswork, waste, and missed opportunities in their chemical applications.
The Problem With "One-Size-Fits-All" Farming
For many years, farmers relied on experience and rough estimates to decide how much fertilizer or pesticide to apply. They would walk the fields, check the weather, and make a best guess. But crops aren't uniform: one corner might be waterlogged, another nutrient-starved, and pests might cluster near the tree line. Applying the same rate everywhere wastes chemicals, costs money, and risks under-treating problem spots. Worse, over-application pollutes waterways, while under-application hits your yields.Old-fashioned farming is like using a big roller to paint a wall when farmers need a small brush for some parts. Precision farming, on the other hand, gives them that brush – and the ISOBUS TC-GEO module is like the steady hand that helps them use it right.
Variable-Rate Applications: Maps, Data, and Machines That Listen
Today, tools like soil sensors, drones, and satellite imagery let farmers create something called a prescription map. Think of this map as a "treatment plan" for the field. It pinpoints exactly where crops need more nutrients, less pesticide, or a tweak in spraying volume. For example, a drone might spot a fungal outbreak in Zone 5, while soil sensors show Zone 3 is low on nitrogen. The map translates these insights into custom rates for every square foot.At the heart of variable-rate applications (VRA) are three parts that work like a well-coordinated team. First up is the planning system—software like Farm Management System (FMS) from FJDynamics or third-party platforms. Think of this as the brain of the operation. It takes raw data from drones, soil sensors, and weather reports and creates a detailed "prescription map" for the field. This map tells you exactly where to apply more fertilizer, less herbicide, or adjust seeding density, which is tailored to your field's unique needs.
Next comes the instructing system—automated steering systems like FJD AT2 or AT2 Max Auto Steer System. This system acts like an instructor to interpret the prescription map into real-time commands for the executing system. As your tractor moves across the field, the autosteering system uses GNSS to track its location and issues instructions like, "Cut herbicide by 20%!" or "Double the fertilizer in this zone!" It’s the middleman that ensures your equipment knows what to do in real time.
Finally, the executing system—your ISOBUS-certified sprayers, planters, or spreaders—steps in. These aren't ordinary implements; they're smart machines with rate controllers that adjust settings on the fly. When the AT2 system says, "Apply 1.5 liters here," the sprayer’s nozzles open or close automatically to hit that exact rate. But for this trio to work smoothly, they need to speak the same language. That's where ISOBUS TC-GEO bridges the gap, acting as a universal translator so the planning, instructing, and executing systems can collaborate seamlessly for variable-rate applications.
Only implements with AEF-certified TC-GEO function are able to respond to the rate control signals from AT2 and AT2 Max. ISOBUS implements may display the AEF certification figure on their operating systems. For detailed information of all the supported ISOBUS functions, you can refer to AEF database.
ISOBUS TC-GEO: Ideal Tech for Variable-Rate Applications
ISOBUS TC-GEO, short for Task Controller geo-based (variables), is a functionality within the ISOBUS standard that lets tractors, implements, and farm software "talk" to each other in the same language. Imagine your tractor has a built-in GPS that tracks its exact location in the field, just like your phone's map app. As it moves, the system checks this live position against your prescription map—a digital plan that says what each part of the field needs. This means your equipment always knows where it is and what to do in that spot, whether it’s planting seeds or spraying fertilizer.The magic of ISOBUS TC-GEO happens through two-way communication between the instructing system and the executing system. In this way, the rate control signal can be issued and the real-time actual rates will be reported. This is where ISOBUS TC-GEO is introduced for seamless data exchange. The AT2 Max Auto Steer System is just one of the ideal media that is capable of providing real-time, precise positioning data, extracting corresponding rates from prescription maps, and issuing them to ISOBUS implements via ISOBUS TC-GEO.
However, not all farm equipment can use ISOBUS TC-GEO. Only implements with special AEF certification can understand the rate signals from autosteering systems like the AT2. Farmers can look for the AEF logo on the implement's display or check the AEF website to confirm compatibility. This certification guarantees seamless communication, so farmers know their gear works together like a well-practiced team. With ISOBUS TC-GEO, variable-rate farming becomes efficient, waste-free, and easy to manage.
How Farmers Use ISOBUS TC-GEO on FJD Autosteering Systems
Let's take the FJD AT2 Auto Steer System as an example, you can follow the steps below to use ISOBUS GEO:1. After turning on TC-GEO, the "Rx" entrance for configuring the prescription map and an "Rx" button for applying variable rates will be displayed in the ISOBUS TC window.
2. Click on the "Rx" entrance and select a prescription map (created earlier or imported from FMS) for the current channel, switch to Rx mode and you can see the legend above the navigation map that indicates the relationship between the rate and the rendering color. When the real-time spraying rate falls within a specific rate range, the track will be rendered with the corresponding color from the legend.
3. You can check the application rate map on the FMS platform later with the actual applied rate rendered on the track by the color change, so you can spot inconsistencies and refine the plan for next season.
