A mobile application for recording area and time of farm machine’s operation in the field through the global positioning system of smartphone
Abstract
Aim of study: A mobile application was developed to record machine operations using the Global Positioning System (GPS), including the segregation and area calculation of each plot.
Area of study: Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa (Bihar). India
Material and methods: The developed mobile application was designed to record geolocations at user- defined intervals with start-stop controls and user-assigned device IDs. The application was utilized to identify and distinguish field plots traversed by a tractor. Accuracy evaluation involved comparing recorded areas with measured values using a measuring tape across three sizes (small, medium, large) in 25 fields. Segregation efficiency was assessed in five trials involving continuous and interrupted tractor movements, noting the area covered, entry time and exit times for each field over five days.
Main results: The developed mobile application was evaluated extensively in terms of error in area calculation as well as segregation error. It was observed that there was no signification error in recording the time of operation, however, the error percentage in area measurement was about ±10%, in large (2.46%), medium (5.40%) and small (6.91%) fields. The error in field segregation was not observed, however, an error in the point of segregation was already considered in the area calculation.
Research highlights: A mobile application was developed that utilizes the Global Positioning System (GPS) to record the machine's operation. This application can segregate the different fields in which the machine was operated as well as calculate the area of operation. The developed application proved to be highly effective in monitoring farm machinery operations, facilitating custom hiring services billing, and serving various other purposes.
Downloads
References
Daum T, Villalba R, Anidi O, Mayienga SM, Gupta S, Birner R, 2020. Uber for tractors? Opportunities and challenges of digital tools for tractor hire in India and Nigeria. World Dev 144:1-15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2021.105480
Inoue K, Nii K, Zhang Y, 2009. Tractor guidance system for field work using GPS and GYRO: Tractor guidance system for field work using GPS and GYRO. Proc Int Sci Conf Energy Eff Agric Eng, Oct 1. pp: 280-295.
Jayawant YA, Joshi N, 2018. Modeling operations of a custom hiring center using agent based modeling and discrete event simulation. Proc III Asia-Pacific Conf on Complex Systems Design & Management, CSD&M Asia, pp: 13-24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-02886-2_2
Kaivosoja J, Linkolehto R, 2015. GNSS error simulator for farm machinery navigation development. Comput Electron Agric 119:166-177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2015.10.021
Maurya K, Singh M, Jain N, 2016. Real time vehicle tracking system using GSM and GPS technology-an anti-theft tracking system. Int J Electron Comput Sci Eng 1(3):1103-1107.
Omrani A, Shiekhdavoodi MJ, Shomeili M, 2013. Determine Sugarcane harvester field efficiency using global positioning system (GPS) data. Elixir Agric 56:13260-13263.
Pranav PK, Phukan Y, Saha B, 2016. Computer program for cost estimation of agricultural machines. Agric Eng 1:1-10.
Stoll A, Stafford J, Werner A, 2003. Automatic operation planning for GPS-guided machinery. Precis Agric 3:657-664. https://doi.org/10.3920/9789086865147_101
Thomson SJ, Huang Y, Smith LA, 2014. Portable device to assess dynamic accuracy of global positioning system (GPS) receivers used in agricultural aircraft. Int J Agric Biol Eng 7(2):68-74. https://doi.org/10.3965/j.ijabe.20140702.008
Xiang M, Wei S, Zhang M, Li M, 2016. Real-time monitoring system of agricultural machinery operation information based on ARM11 and GNSS. IFAC-Pap 49:121-126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ifacol.2016.10.023
Copyright (c) 2025 Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
© CSIC. Manuscripts published in both the print and online versions of this journal are the property of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, and quoting this source is a requirement for any partial or full reproduction.
All contents of this electronic edition, except where otherwise noted, are distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence. You may read the basic information and the legal text of the licence. The indication of the CC BY 4.0 licence must be expressly stated in this way when necessary.
Self-archiving in repositories, personal webpages or similar, of any version other than the final version of the work produced by the publisher, is not allowed.
