MP Antenna Improves Connectivity in Autonomous Tractors

MP Antenna discusses connectivity in autonomous tractors, problems and solutions, as the company provided a one-stop shopping and a complete solution to a tractor manufacturer. 

Problem

A manufacturer of agricultural equipment needed to test various radio platforms on autonomous tractors. The manufacturer wanted to install an antenna on the roof of a tractor, plug in the first radio, have it work right away, and collect performance data. The tractor manufacturer would then repeat this exercise with other radios, each of which supported multiple frequency sets, without ever changing the antenna.

Different antennas are tuned to different frequencies, however, and some antennas pick up only a narrow band. Wideband antennas are an option but at the expense of gain. Integrating multiple antennas into an enclosure was also a possibility but the enclosure would require a custom design. For the tractor manufacturer, the ideal partner could provide antennas and custom enclosures along with data collection.

Solution

MP Antenna of Elyria, Ohio provided the tractor manufacturer with one-stop shopping and a complete solution. MP’s multi-polarized antennas deliver continuous coverage under real-world conditions, even when there are line of sight (LOS) obstructions. MP also offers a range of antennas that pick up different frequencies and bands, and that work well with wireless mesh radios from various suppliers.

MP’s solution integrated its small but powerful antennas into a custom enclosure that the manufacturer also designed and built. The enclosure was attached to the roof of an autonomous tractor with a suction cup and worked seamlessly with all of the radios that the tractor manufacturer tested. MP even supplied data collection software that could report each radio’s performance.