With GIS software you can plan your tramlines right at the computer.
Plan directly on the aerial image or using the surveyed field boundary. That boundary should be surveyed with an RTK system—either with an RTK-equipped tractor or a handheld RTK receiver.
Once these data are available, you can pre-plan tramlines so that, for example, no half-width bouts are created; instead (at least on one side of the field) operations always follow full implement widths. After the correct lines are created, you can transfer them to other machines via your farm management system or by USB stick.
Who hasn’t seen it: up to harvest the buffer strip was the proper width—until the cultivator or plough came through!
It doesn’t have to be that way. Depending on the equipment manufacturer, obstacles can be pre-planned on the PC. This is especially useful for buffer strips where a minimum setback from water bodies must be maintained. While spraying or tillage can still narrow a strip, having it mapped is a big help—particularly for seasonal staff or rotating operators who need to know how far the strip extends. Modern machines can also automatically switch individual sprayer sections off at obstacles, helping prevent unintended crop protection application if you drive across the area by mistake.
