Az iparban már bevett digitális megoldások agráriumba való átültetését célozza meg a Delta Systems Kft. és a szintén 100%-os magyar tulajdonú SNA GROUP Kft. együttműködése. A két cég olyan adatalapú megoldásokat kínál a hazai agrárium szereplői számára, amellyel a hatékonyságuk növelhető, a nemzetközi versenyképességük javítható, és mindemellett még a környezeti terhelés is csökken. Közös kutatás-fejlesztési projektjükben pedig az UV-C fény mezőgazdasági felhasználását vizsgálják forradalmi megvalósíthatósággal.
Delta Systems Kft. is currently one of the largest IT system integrators in Hungary. Delta Technologies Nyrt., the only company listed on the Budapest Stock Exchange with a purely IT profile, is its 100%subsidiary. It has already proven its worth with Industry 4.0 solutions and now wishes to put this experience and knowledge at the service of agriculture.
I believe that as IT professionals, we have a responsibility to spread digitalisation widely, thereby boosting the economy. We are consciously looking for opportunities to support digitalisation, and thus precision farming, in the field of agriculture through sensor-based, machine vision, deep learning and artificial intelligence solutions
Agriculture has to cope not only with climate change and the economic situation caused by the war, but also with the changed competitive environment. In order for Hungarian agriculture to remain competitive at European level in the future, it is essential to address labour shortages and increase efficiency. This can be achieved through digital solutions linked to precision farming. One of the possible tools for achieving high added value and improved profitability is the self-driving, multifunctional vehicle, which can be used not only for mowing grass but also for spraying more efficiently. Moreover, if only the crop receives the spray, for example, not only will the efficiency of chemical use be improved, but the environmental impact will also be reduced. The machine can apply 150 litres of material through its precision nozzles in half an hour, can be recharged in minutes, can work for 4 hours on a 10-minute battery charge and can climb 27-28% gradients thanks to its four-wheel drive. This tool is also great in vineyards and orchards, either timed or with sensors that monitor the weather and conditions conducive to the spread of micro-organisms or the dreaded pathogens. With Delta's developments, all this can be done automatically, with the vine grower hundreds of kilometres away. Delta and SNA are also at the forefront of forward-looking developments beyond existing experience.
As an IT professional, one of the biggest challenges is to be the first to come up with new, innovative solutions using the latest technologies. Currently, we are investigating how UV-C light can be used in crop production to kill plant pests, with the aim of achieving total chemical-free production.
This use of UV-C light is already being experimented with in the US and Canada. It would be a world-class achievement if this could be done with a self-driving device, because this light inhibits the development and growth of micro-organisms, but it is also harmful to humans, so it can only be used in the field if the disinfection process is completely free of human presence.
Another big opportunity is the use of agricultural drones. The technology has already spread around the world, for example in China where it is used to sow rice in waterlogged areas, for spraying and developers are constantly working on new applications. In our country, however, drones are hardly used in agriculture. The regulations currently only allow the use of a single spraying agent and require a large number of exams, six in all, to operate a drone. Here too, experts say, there is considerable IT liability. With the right IT support and training, data collection can be speeded up, so that regulatory concerns can be quickly allayed and it is easy to prove that, for example, the spray is targeted to the right place.
And speaking of data collection, the collaboration between Delta and SNA GROUP is unique in that IT professionals can collect any kind of data using sensor solutions. And with the creation of data warehouses, they can increasingly work with skilled agricultural professionals and jointly analyse the data to create unique systems that will make it cool for young people to work in agriculture. Agri 4.0 solutions can also make a big difference to farmers' everyday lives, as they no longer need to be in the fields all day to run their farms successfully. In a few years/decades, we could even have wine from a fully automated winery on the shelves of the shops. According to experts, the technology can already do it. But the application still needs experimentation and dedication, which the collaboration between the two companies will provide.
