Interface Solutions for Farming on Land, at Sea, and in the Air

As the global population grows, the pressure on our food systems has never been greater. To meet this demand, farming is evolving into a high-tech, tri-domain industry. Whether it is a multi-ton autonomous tractor in the Midwest, a drone surveying crop health from above, or a subsea biosphere anchored off the coast, success hinges on the ability to measure physical forces with extreme accuracy.

Interface solutions for farming in these environments include a wide range of sensors for equipment, monitoring, and structures, as well as design. Products used in various forms of agriculture range from standard LowProfile and miniature load cells, load pins, shackles, and tension links to torque transducers, multi-axis sensors, and wireless telemetry products. Sensor technologies provide the critical data needed to prevent equipment failure and optimize yields. By translating mechanical stress into actionable digital insights, they provide data for control and monitoring systems on modern farms across land, sea, and air.

Sensors for Farming on Land

On land, the focus is on durability and machine health. Equipment must be lighter to prevent soil compaction, yet stronger to handle increased workloads. Review Powering Tomorrow’s Harvest with Sensor-Based Agricultural Machinery.

Here are three examples of how Interface solutions are applied to innovative land-based farming production.

PTO Torque Analysis

Power Take-Off (PTO) shafts are the essence of applying power. Using Interface Torque Transducers, manufacturers monitor the rotational power required for different soil types. This data allows for the design of more fuel-efficient engines and prevents gearbox shearing during high-torque events. Tractor PTO Torque Testing details how it works:

1. The T27 Bearingless Hollow Flange Style Rotary Torque Transducer is bolted to the tractor’s PTO shaft. A dynamometer is attached to the other end.
2. The T27 Bearingless Hollow Flange Style Rotary Torque Transducer measures the tractor’s torque and speed with highly accurate results.
3. With the INF3-USB PC Interface Module, the customer was able to display, graph, and log the recorded torque and speed of the tractor’s PTO system with the supplied INF3-USB software.

Smart Grain Transport Management

During harvest, a grain cart must be filled to its limit without overloading the tires. Load Pins and Load Cells integrated into the axle and hitch assemblies provide live weight data, helping protect the cart’s structural integrity. A similar land-based agriculture application for Silo Grain Dispensing details how grain management works:

1. Multiple WTS 1200 Standard Precision LowProfile™ Wireless Load Cells are installed at the legs of the grain dispensing container.
2. As the silo feeds grain into the grain dispensing container, force measurements of the distribution are recorded and totaled using the supplied Log100 Software.
3. The customer can view real-time results using the WTSBS-1-HA Handheld Display for multiple transmitters, or on their PC computer or laptop when the WTS-BS-4 USB Industrial Base Station is attached. The Log100 can display, log, graph, and total the sum weight of all load cells.

Robotic Weeding Precision and Crop Management

New robotic weeders use mechanical robot arms to pull weeds. Miniature Load Cells are used in the fingers of these robots to ensure they apply enough force to remove the weed without damaging the surrounding crop. Robotics is also increasingly used in vertical farming, the production of produce in a vertical manner using smart technology systems. Vertical Farming Monitoring details how it works:

1. The SPI Low Capacity Platform Scale Load Cells and WTS-AM-1E Wireless Strain Bridge Transmitter Modules are installed in the center of the platform on the robotic lifting mechanism.
2. The produce is slid onto the lifting mechanism.
3. The produce weight is detected by the SPIs, and the WTS-AM-1E wirelessly transmits the data to both the WTSBS-1-HA Handheld Display for multiple transmitters and the WTS-BS-6 Wireless Telemetry Dongle Base Station, with the supplied Log100 software running on the customer’s PC. Data can be displayed, logged, and graphed.

Farming from the Air

Drones have revolutionized farming by providing a bird’s-eye view, but their mechanical reliability is often overlooked. In the air, weight and balance are everything. Interface provides sensors for unmanned air vehicles to test and monitor. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and drones are used for various payload applications.

Spray Drone Payload Calibration

Large-scale agricultural drones carry heavy liquid payloads. Miniature Load Cells are used to calibrate the spray systems and monitor the “slosh” effect of liquids in flight, which can impact flight stability. Let’s take a look at how it works:

1. Miniature Load Cells (such as the SSMF S-Type) are integrated into the mounting points of the liquid chemical tank on the drone’s frame.
2. As the drone operates, the sensors measure the real-time weight of the fluid, accounting for the “slosh” and depletion rate during flight.
3. The data is sent via a Wireless Telemetry System (WTS) to the flight controller, allowing the drone to automatically adjust its motor speed to maintain center of gravity stability as the tank empties.

UAV Structural Stress Testing

During the R&D phase of new drone frames, Multi-Axis Sensors measure the lift and drag forces on motor mounts. This ensures the frame can withstand high-velocity winds without fatiguing. This is how it works using Interface’s 6A Series BX8 Complete System:

1. The drone or motor assembly is mounted to a test stand equipped with an Interface Multi-Axis Sensor (such as a 6A Series 6-Axis Load Cell).
2. The motor is run through various RPM cycles and simulated wind gusts, while the sensor simultaneously measures forces and moments.
3. Using a BX8 Data Acquisition System, engineers visualize the interaction between thrust and frame vibration to identify potential fatigue points before the drone ever leaves the ground.

Automated Landing Shocks

For heavy-duty cargo drones, Load Cells in the landing gear monitor impact force. If a “hard landing” exceeds a certain threshold, the Wireless Telemetry System triggers an automatic maintenance flag for the ground crew. Let’s explore how it works:

1. Interface Load Pins are installed in the pivot joints of the drone’s landing gear or struts.
2. Upon touchdown, the Load Pins capture the peak impact force experienced by the landing assembly.
3. The data is transmitted through a WTS-AM-1E Wireless Strain Bridge Transmitter to a ground station, where software logs the “hardness” of the landing; if the force exceeds safety limits, the system flags the drone for a structural inspection.

Here are more examples of how Interface sensors are used across drone applications, including visual inspections, transportation, and crop management.

At Sea Sensors for Aquaculture and Subsea Frontiers

Aquaculture is moving further offshore and deeper underwater to find cleaner water and stable temperatures. These environments are the most demanding for force measurement hardware that can withstand subsea and underwater uses. Using providers with proven sensor technologies, as Interface does, is key to applying innovative sensor technology to farming at sea.

Seaweed Farm Storm Resilience

In seaweed cultivation, the greatest risk is line breakage. Tension Links and Load Shackles are installed at the primary anchor points. By monitoring tension during a storm via Wireless Telemetry, operators can determine if a line has been compromised. Seaweed Farming details how it works:

1. The WTSSHK-B Wireless Crosby™ Bow Load Shackles are installed on the buoys of the seaweed farming line systems.
2. As seaweed grows on the lines, the shackles measure the weight of it.
3. Data is wirelessly transmitted to the customer’s PC through the WTS-BS-4 Wireless Base Station. The data is displayed, graphed, and logged using the supplied Log100 software.

Fish Cage Mooring Safety

Offshore fish pens are massive structures. Load Pins are used in the shackles that connect the net pens to the mooring grid. This allows for constant monitoring of the mooring lines’ health, preventing catastrophic escapes. The Aquafarming Mooring System details how it works:

1. Multiple WTSSHK-B Wireless Crosby™ Bow Load Shackles are installed on the aquafarming mooring line system.
2. Data is wirelessly transmitted to the customer’s PC through the WTS-BS-4 Wireless Base Station.
3. The data is displayed, graphed, and logged using the supplied Log100 software.

ROV Manipulator Feedback

Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) perform maintenance on subsea farms. Multi-Axis Sensors in the ROV’s manipulators allow operators to “feel” the resistance of a bolt or the weight of a lifted tray, preventing them from over-torquing and breaking hardware at depth. Underwater Humanoid Robot highlights how these types of sea robots work:

1. Interface’s 6A55RI 6-Axis Robot Flange Force-Torque Sensors are integrated into the arms of the underwater humanoid robot and protected by the robot’s environment.
2. Multiple tests are conducted to measure the robot’s limbs and determine how much stress or load it can withstand, especially when switching from autonomous to remote modes.
3. The customer can record and view the results when the 6A55RI is connected via EtherCAT to the customer’s protocol system.

The Integrated Ecosystem to Acquire Moving Force Measurement Data

The true power of these sensors is realized through Wireless Telemetry Systems. In the middle of an ocean or a 1,000-acre field, running cables is often impossible. By converting a standard Load Cell or Torque Transducer into a wireless node, Interface allows for a centralized “command center” view. Farmers can monitor a fleet of autonomous drones, the tension on a kelp line miles away, and the weight of a grain silo simultaneously, all from a single ruggedized tablet. Read the Interface Solutions Used in Growing Agriculture Innovation case study for more examples.

The transition from traditional farming to data-driven operations across land, sea, and air is about more than just technology; it is about resilience. By utilizing Interface load cells, load pins, tension links, and torque transducers, producers are gaining the visibility needed to operate in environments that were previously too harsh or unpredictable. These force measurement solutions provide the foundation for a more sustainable food supply, ensuring that equipment lasts longer, yields are higher, and environmental impact is carefully managed.

Additional Farming Resources

Aquafarming Fish Weighing

Vertical Farming for Sustainable Food Production on Earth and Beyond

Solutions to Advance Agriculture Smart Farming and Equipment

Inventive Agriculture Monitoring and Weighing Solutions

Interface Helps to Move Agriculture Innovation Forward

Agriculture