13 / 15
JOHN DEERE
EXPEDITING
AUTONOMOUS TECHNOLOGY IN AG
Agriculture equipment giant acquires Bear Flag Robotics for $250M
What first comes to mind when you think about
autonomy in agriculture? If you answered auto-steer,
you likely aren’t the only one, but that’s just scratching
the surface.
John Deere is no rookie to automation; the company
has been developing autonomous technology for quite
some time, launching its first auto-steer system back in
2002.
The advancements from 2002 to 2021 are immense,
and farmers no longer need an operator in the cab
once they hit the field. But luckily for farmers, that’s not
where the innovations quit.
John Deere is aiming to accelerate this type of in-field
autonomy and automation on the farm by recently
acquiring autonomous technology company, Bear Flag
Robotics, for a hefty $250 million price tag.
Bear Flag Robotics develops autonomous driving
technology that is compatible with existing machines –
you no longer need to purchase brand new equipment
to reap the benefits of autonomous agriculture.
“Deere views autonomy as an important step forward
in enabling farmers to leverage their resources
strategically to feed the world and create more
sustainable and profitable operations,” said Jahmy
Hindman, Chief Technology Officer at John Deere.
The newly acquired robotics company has a faster
deployment time than any third-party or OEM system
on the market paired with a remote control to monitor
the autonomous fleet, 360° situational awareness, and
a fully customizable system to accommodate most
implement types.
“Bear Flag’s team of talented agriculture professionals,
engineers and technologists have a proven ability
to deliver advanced technology solutions to market,”
adds Hindman. “Joining that expertise and experience
with Deere’s expertise in autonomy, along with our
world-class dealer channel, will accelerate the delivery
of solutions to farmers that address the immense
challenge of feeding a growing world.”
Bear Flag Robotics’ autonomous solution has already
been applied on a limited number of farms in the
United States. The pair began working together in 2019
as part of John Deere’s Startup Collaborator program.
“One of the biggest challenges farmers face today is
the availability of skilled labor to execute time-sensitive
operations that impact farming outcomes. Autonomy
offers a safe and productive alternative to address
that challenge head on,” said Igino Cafiero, co-founder
and CEO of Bear Flag Robotics. “Bear Flag’s mission to
increase global food production and reduce the cost of
growing food through machine automation is aligned
with Deere’s and we’re excited to join the Deere team
to bring autonomy to more farms.”
RYAN RIDLEY
FARMS.COM
WATCH THE VIDEO
13
PHOTO: bearflagrobotics.com
