Deere's future in precision agriculture is dependent on the space-based connection.

Deere has made major investments in precision agriculture, as have competitors CNH Industrial and AGCO. This method employs sensors, software, and data analytics to improve farming operations, resulting in higher crop yields.

The scenario of green tractors stretching across grain fields is generally linked with John Deere, the famed American company. However, the corporation has been preparing the groundwork for a technologically superior and self-sufficient future, which is significantly dependent on space.

In an April interview with CNBC's "Manifest Space" podcast, Leanne Caret, a Deere board member since 2021 and former CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, stated that Deere is one of the world's top technology secrets, but access to space is critical for attaining that.

Deere has made major investments in precision agriculture, as have competitors CNH Industrial and AGCO. This method employs sensors, software, and data analytics to improve farming operations, resulting in higher crop yields. The improvements vary from more efficient planting and fertilizing to more efficient harvesting.

Deere also manufactures and sells self-driving tractors and other machines with autonomous capability. This vision is dependent on connectivity, and space technology fills the void left by fibre and regular cellular networks.

Deere's participation in the interface of space and agriculture began more than two decades ago, when it first invested in and eventually bought NAVCOM. Deere was able to build its own real-time GPS connection signal as a result of this shift, allowing machine steering and the creation of yield maps for combines.

However, depending exclusively on GPS is no longer adequate, particularly in crucial countries such as Brazil, where more than two-thirds of the farmland lacks access to communication infrastructure.

Last November, the corporation requested proposals from the satellite communications industry in order to form a partnership for space-based connection services. While the projected value of the proposed "SatComms" contract has not been made public, it has piqued the interest of the space sector. According to Hindman, over 40 companies representing the world's largest satellite connectivity providers have made bids.

Deere is presently doing trials with specific organizations, according to Hindman, which involve installing equipment on vehicles to test real-time performance in real-world circumstances.

Deere intends to select a project partner after the bids have completed a growth season. They hope to have a solution for farmers by this time next year. Hindman stated that he is increasingly interested in other space-based opportunities.