Connecting Farm Operations with Real-Time Tracking and IoT
An IoT platform that connects tractors, field work, GPS data and local weather monitoring to help farmers and contractors manage large-scale agricultural operations.
IoT DevelopmentCustom Software
Interface from the intelligent farming platform developed for the client.
Client
Australian farming software provider
Users
Farmers in Australia & New Zealand
Delivery team
5 developers
First version
Delivered in 3 months
Client & project background
Software built around the realities of large-scale farming
The client is an Australian provider of farming software solutions, serving large farmers in Australia and New Zealand. Its team understood farm operations and the coordination problems farmers faced when managing land, machinery and contractors.
Australian farms can range from small fields to several thousand hectares. Mechanisation makes that scale possible, but it also leaves farmers responsible for a large number of machines and widely spread areas of land. Each year, they outsource work such as cultivation and harvesting to specialist farming contractors while retaining responsibility for the land and the progress of the work.
The client wanted to connect these activities in an intelligent farming system: farmers needed to know where each tractor was, which area a driver was working on, how much work had been completed and whether local weather conditions called for a change of plan.
The solution
A connected platform for intelligent farm operations
Shinetech assembled a five-developer team to deliver the software and hardware integration across web, mobile applications and vehicle-mounted equipment. Using GPS, Google Maps and IoT data, the platform connects farmers, contractors, drivers, vehicles, field tasks and weather information in one operational view.
PHPAmazon Web ServicesGoogle MapsGPSIoT Hardware
Live equipment tracking
Shows tractor and vehicle locations in real time and links each machine to its assigned driver and field task.
Field-task management
Lets farmers define work areas, monitor agricultural progress and give drivers access to tasks and farm maps from a tablet.
Weather-aware operations
Collects local temperature, wind direction and humidity data to support timely planting and field-work decisions.
Delivery & collaboration
Five developers, three months, and continuous client feedback
The first version consisted of three connected parts: a web system, an app and hardware. Shinetech assembled five developers to undertake the software and hardware implementation, delivering the first version in three months.
Working software every two weeks
The team used continuous integration and two-week iterations so the client could use and evaluate the software throughout development. Feedback helped the team check whether the functions addressed real business needs and make changes early.
Progress the client could see
Daily email updates, instant messaging and project-management tools made progress visible. The client could review delivered functions, understand difficulties and coordinate the resources needed to resolve them. Weekly voice conferences provided a regular opportunity to discuss feedback and next steps.
The client also invited developers into the fields to work alongside drivers and see how farming tasks were carried out in practice. This gave the team direct context for the software they were building.
Engineering challenges
Making maps and live GPS data useful in the field
More than displaying a map
The Google Maps integration needed to support marking locations, drawing on maps and performing calculations. These operations were essential to representing farmland and the areas assigned to drivers.
Accurate, high-volume GPS data
Capturing live GPS data meant handling both accuracy and a large volume of incoming information. The team repeatedly tested and revised the algorithm until the system met end-user requirements.
Understanding the work behind the data
Direct observation of drivers in the field helped developers understand the farming processes behind each requirement. Technical work and business learning continued together as the team and client worked through challenges throughout the collaboration.
Results & long-term partnership
Seven to eight years of collaboration, from first release to product evolution
The initial delivery grew into a collaboration spanning approximately seven to eight years. Beyond the first release, Shinetech worked with the client on refining the platform and developing its capabilities around real farming needs.
A shared view of daily farm operations
Positioning equipment assigned to vehicles and tractors enabled farmers to see their locations through Google Maps, manage drivers' task areas and track agricultural progress. Drivers accessed tasks and farm maps from tablets installed in their tractors, connecting field work with the farmer's operational view.
Local weather stations relayed temperature, wind direction and humidity through the system, helping farmers respond to changing conditions alongside the progress of their field work.
Product development shaped by field conditions
Following the initial release, the team continued optimising the system and developing a second generation focused on farm management in areas with limited or no network signal. The extended partnership gave the team a deeper understanding of the client's product and the working conditions of its users.
