AgXeed and Kverneland have set a new world record in autonomous ploughing at Birch Farm, Stonegrave, North Yorkshire.
From April 28 to April 29, an AgXeed AgBot 5.115T2 autonomous tracked tractor paired with a Kverneland LO 300/85 five-furrow reversible plough ploughed 51.8 acres (20.8 hectares) without human intervention.
The attempt was officially verified by James Whitty, former director of the Society of Ploughmen.
The AgBot operated continuously for 24 hours, incorporating valuable organic matter into pre-manured soil destined for maize and fodder beet. With a consistent furrow depth of 23cm (9 inches) and width of 40 cm (16 inches), the AgBot worked at speeds of 5.6–8 km/h, stopping only for a brief refuel. Its fuel consumption averaged 18.4 L/ha, matching manned tractor performance.
Prior trials compared the AgBot to the farm’s Fendt 828 Vario with a six-furrow plough. The AgBot achieved 4.6% lower fuel use, thanks to its efficient driveline and lack of operator- comfort energy demands like cab suspension and climate control.
Using AgXeed’s cloud-based planning tools, the team mapped field boundaries and programmed optimised working lines. The AgBot autonomously executed precise lifting, reversing, and turning sequences with no human intervention required, assisted by GPS and real-time monitoring.The Kverneland LO 300/85 plough featured low-draft body #28 mouldboards, enabling consistent performance in heavy soils.
Engine loads ranged between 48% and 72%, demonstrating efficiency and reliability.
“The AgBot and our Kverneland plough worked seamlessly at excellent quality for 24 hours,” said Adam Burt, Kverneland UK Product Specialist.
“This proves autonomous agriculture is practical today,” added Peter Robinson, AgXeed UK Sales Manager.
AgXeed and Kverneland thanked P Armitage of Birch Farm for hosting the trial. This accomplishment sets a new benchmark for autonomous farming and highlights the industry’s shift towards scalable autonomous field operations.
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