LS Mtron advances towards unmanned tractors era

[Image source: Kim Hee-su]

A self-propelled tractor with an empty driver’s seat begins to move forward on its own and begins the plowing process. Reaching the edge of the farmland, the tractor autonomously executes rotations and reversals, seamlessly navigating through the entire field without leaving any unplowed areas, changing the land into soft soil suitable for seed sowing.

This scene unfolded on January 17th, 2024, at LS Mtron East Mega Center in South Korea’s Gimcheon, Gyeongbuk Province. A 3,000 square meter plot of land was specially prepared in front of the exhibition hall and maintenance facility, allowing visitors to experience the company’s cutting-edge agricultural machinery firsthand.

“By simply changing the attached equipment, this autonomous tractor can handle everything from plowing and creating furrows to seeding, weeding, and harvesting, allowing for the cultivation of an entire field with just one tractor,” Choi Jong-min, head of LS Mtron’s Tractor Advanced Research Team, said.

“The results measured on a soybean farm showed a 17 percent reduction in cultivation time and an 8 percent increase in yield compared to manual labor.”

LS Mtron’s autonomous tractor relies on satellite data for navigation, with a maximum positional error of only 7 centimeters during operation. The company is also developing technology to enable the use of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) in countries with limited satellite positioning infrastructure, such as Brazil.

“We are studying a method whereby artificial intelligence, takes charge of the driving by acquiring real-time information via cameras,” Choi explained.

LS Mtron aims to develop a fully unmanned autonomous tractor that will be capable of autonomous driving not only on farmland but also on public roads by 2025. The current technology allows the tractor to autonomously operate within the field, detect obstacles, and come to a stop automatically.

“Our aim is to secure global top-tier technological capabilities by 2025,” Choi said.

LS Mtron began supplying autonomous tractors to public institutions in 2021 and has expanded to direct sales to farmers since 2023, in the first Korean commercialization of autonomous agricultural machinery. The company is also developing autonomous agricultural machinery for fruit orchards.