How RTK GPS Lets Tractors Steer to Within 2.5 Centimetres
Standard consumer GPS is typically accurate to a few metres, which is not sufficient for guiding a tractor along crop rows. Agricultural autosteer systems instead use real-time kinematic (RTK) positioning, which pairs a fixed base station at a surveyed location with a rover on the vehicle to calculate and apply live signal corrections. These corrections cancel out most atmospheric and satellite errors, delivering centimetre-level accuracy. A controller compares the vehicle's position with the planned path and adjusts the steering motor or hydraulic valve, with an inertial sensor compensating for slope tilt. Tighter tracking reduces overlap between passes, which can lower seed, fertiliser and fuel costs over a growing season.
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