HANAMKONDA: The Kakatiya Institute of Technology & Science-Warangal (KITS-W) has unveiled a driverless automated tractor, an achievement that is considered a remarkable breakthrough in farming technology. The tractor was successfully tested for the fifth time on the campus.
The project, titled “Automation of farming tools for smart farming using an android application (A Gaming Approach),” received substantial support from the Science for Equity Empowerment and Development division under the Department of Science and Technology.
KITS-W, under the guidance of principal Prof K Ashoka Reddy, secured a research grant of `40 lakh to bring this innovative concept to life. Md Sharfuddin Waseem, assistant professor of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) at KITS-W, led the project along with Prof P Niranjan Reddy, the head of the CSE department, and mentor Dr S Narsimha Reddy, an associate professor specialising in CSE Networks.
The tractor has caught the attention of IT and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao, who expressed his admiration for the project on Twitter. “Was impressed with the Driverless Autonomous Tractor developed by the team at KITS-W. This is the future of farming & I urge young innovators who would want to make a social impact to come out with more such ideas & products Innovate, incubate and incorporate all for social good Institutions like @THubHyd @TWorksHyd @WEHubHyderabad @RICH_Hyd @teamTSIC have been set up to assist you (sic)” Rama Rao tweeted.
According to Ashoka, the driverless automated tractor aims to simplify land cultivation for farmers while remaining cost-effective and increasing their income. The project aims to minimise human effort in farming activities, offering remote-controlled capabilities for ploughing small fields, among other functions.
Prof Niranjan Reddy explained that it can be operated through an Android application, resembling a computer game. Equipped with various sensors such as proximity, temperature, and soil moisture, the machine collects real-time field data and adjusts its operations accordingly. The tractor employs proximity sensors to identify obstacles while recording daily weather conditions and field water supply data enabling precise water management and crop yield prediction through data analysis.
Waseem disclosed that the project is currently in the implementation phase, with dedicated on-site facilities at the college for experimentation, Android application development and safety testing of the automated farming tools. The prototype, which took approximately six months to build, incorporates an array of hardware devices, from actuators to a simplified microcontroller, the ESP8266. The use of cost-effective components ensures that the technology remains accessible to farmers.