Back to the catalog
Spinoff story
GPS Correction Technology Lets Tractors Drive Themselves
A real-world story of NASA technology finding a life beyond the mission.
About this technology
Overview
With a license for software created by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to stream corrected GPS data and a contract to receive data from JPL_s global network of reference stations, Moline, Illinois-based John Deere released StarFire receivers that let tractors drive themselves, were affordable, didn_t require a local radio tower, and could be used all over the world. Automated guidance reduces the time and resources needed to care for fields and increases crop yield and quality.