With a host of never-before-seen features made to improve your productivity and efficiency, the industry’s first autonomous spreader is designed to bolster your bottom line.
The lightbulb. The plane. The tractor. Each of these inventions mattered not only because they were the first of their kind but also because they were remarkably better than what came before. Now, a new first has arrived: the Case IH Trident™ 5550 applicator with Raven Autonomy™.
Autonomous technology for greater efficiency
With recent CNH Industrial research showing autonomous spreading is a top-requested innovation among growers,[1] Case IH and Raven Industries engineers worked together to create a machine capable of reallocating labor, increasing productivity and improving efficiency all at once out in the field.
That machine was the Trident 5550 applicator with Raven Autonomy. Using artificial intelligence (AI) and an advanced camera and radar system, the spreader can function as both a driver-assisted or driverless machine, completing simple tasks autonomously and precision work with the help of an operator.
“It’s nice to be able to drive to the field, do some of the tougher parts, the boundaries, and then get out of the cab and let it go on its way,” said Neal Hiemstra, agronomy logistics manager at Agtegra Cooperative.
Spreading consistency and accuracy
Even the most seasoned operator can occasionally make a revenue-impacting mistake. The autonomous applicator reduces the frequency of those mistakes, using AI-assisted spreading to remove human error and offer repeatable performance with sub-inch accuracy.
“The Case IH Trident 5550 applicator with Raven Autonomy allows us to do more work in tight time frames, run our operation efficiently and combat operator fatigue — it’s a huge benefit,” said Brady Fahlman, owner and operator of Fahlman Acres in Holdfast, Saskatchewan, Canada. “Autonomous equipment can perform a consistent job each time, which is very important to me, as we’ve built our farm’s reputation on being flawless and doing high-quality work.”
Advanced guidance and steering
Using guidance and steering, propulsion control, perception, and path-planning software developed by Raven, growers have greater control over their environment than ever before.
Along with 360-degree environment sensing to detect and interpret obstacles and machine alerts that bring the applicator to a stop once an obstacle has been located, growers can plan and remotely execute field operations based on mapped field boundaries from the touch of a mobile device.
Remote diagnostics
With the Case IH Trident 5550 applicator with Raven Autonomy, growers won’t need to get a diagnostics update while only inside the cab. Instead, the spreader allows for remote viewing of various machine tasks and functions, including fuel level, speed, rpm, bin-level status, Universal Terminal information and diagnostic trouble codes from a mobile device.
The power of a multibrand partnership
The Case IH Trident 5550 applicator with Raven Autonomy demonstrates the kinds of solutions and benefits a multibrand partnership between two major agricultural organizations has to offer customers.
With the acquisition of Raven by CNH Industrial in November 2021, growers can expect a streamlined service model and a faster pipeline for autonomous solutions — which has already been proven by the remarkably short eight-month autonomous applicator development time. What’s more, growers should look forward to more customer-driven innovations powered by field research and industry surveys.
The Case IH Trident 5550 applicator with Raven Autonomy will be operating in the North American market with limited availability in 2023. To learn more, visit www.caseihautonomy.com.
[1] Forward Group for CNH Industrial, “Autonomy in Agriculture,” May 2022, 515 respondents.
