RTK (Real-Time Kinematic) is a satellite correction technology that boosts GNSS accuracy from a few metres down to just a few centimetres. While standard GPS might vary by 2–4 metres, RTK gives tractors the precision needed to follow exact lines, plant in the right place, and apply inputs only where needed.

Used in construction, surveying, and marine navigation, RTK has become a key tool in precision farming – helping farmers reduce overlap, cut waste, and make the most of every hectare.

Explaining how RTK networks work

RTK improves GPS accuracy by combining satellite signals with real-time corrections from a fixed base station. Although the technology may seem complex, its logic is straightforward and highly effective. The principle of operation of the RTK network is as follows:

  • Setting up the base station. A stationary RTK base station is placed at a precisely known location. It continuously receives satellite signals and detects even small positioning errors caused by atmospheric conditions.

  • Generating correction data. The station compares real coordinates with satellite data and calculates deviations. Based on this, it produces correction signals that help eliminate positioning errors.

  • Sending corrections in real time. The corrections are transmitted to mobile receivers via cellular networks, radio, or NTRIP. Fast transmission is essential to maintain high accuracy.

  • Processing data on mobile equipment. A tractor or drone with a mobile RTK receiver receives both satellite signals and correction data. The system merges this information to determine its position with centimetre-level precision.

  • Executing precise operations in the field. Your tractor GPS guidance app uses the corrected coordinates to follow accurate paths, perform automated turns, and control implements. This ensures every pass is done without overlap or gaps.

By combining real-time satellite signals and correction data, RTK gives farmers the precision they need for modern fieldwork. It reduces errors, saves resources and makes automation more reliable – helping you get more from every hectare.

Why use RTK in agriculture

Modern farming relies on precision. RTK technology provides centimetre-level accuracy, helping you reduce waste, save time and optimise every field operation – from planting to harvesting. Here’s why farmers are increasingly choosing RTK:

  • work across large areas with no deviation. Even a few metres of inaccuracy can cause overlaps or missed sections. RTK eliminates these issues, keeping your machinery on track across wide and irregular fields;

  • reduce waste of expensive resources. Seeds, fertilisers and chemicals are costly. RTK helps apply them exactly where needed – avoiding double passes, cutting unnecessary costs, and boosting efficiency;

  • minimise the human factor. Fatigue and low visibility increase the chance of manual driving errors. RTK-guided autosteer takes over navigation, keeping rows straight and reducing stress for operators;

  • meet new quality and sustainability standards. RTK ensures every task is done consistently – supporting sustainable agriculture, certification requirements, and advanced practices like yield mapping and variable-rate application.

With RTK, every metre matters. It helps you avoid waste, improve yield, and build a smarter, more sustainable farm – all with accurate, automated control over your equipment.

Using RTK for smarter farm management and digitalisation

RTK technologies lay the foundation for digital farming by enabling precise automation, monitoring and decision-making. Integrated into farm management platforms, they help farmers control production with greater accuracy, reduce manual work and gain full visibility over every operation in the field.

Using RTK in agriculture

Task

How RTK helps

Autosteering agricultural machinery

RTK keeps tractors and implements precisely on track – without overlaps or skips. It supports straight-line driving, headland turns, and pass-to-pass accuracy within 2.5 cm. This improves productivity and reduces operator workload, even on long shifts or in poor visibility.

Crop control and planning

RTK provides detailed field positioning for tasks like variable-rate spraying, fertiliser application and soil sampling. It helps plan operations by zones, track field conditions over time, and identify patterns that affect yield.

Reducing resource costs

With fewer errors and better coverage, RTK reduces seed, fertiliser and chemical waste. It helps optimise input rates, cut fuel use, and lower operating costs per hectare.

Working with drones

RTK improves drone accuracy for tasks like spraying, imaging, scouting and map creation. It helps automate high-resolution missions and ensures repeatability for reliable data collection and targeted applications.

Mapping field boundaries

RTK allows farmers to create highly accurate field borders and infrastructure maps. This simplifies planning, helps avoid overlap, and ensures full coverage in every operation.

Integration with control systems

RTK works with farm platforms to automate and document key tasks. It syncs data between tractors, implements and software – making it easier to manage inputs, monitor results and stay compliant.

Monitoring machines and logistics

With real-time tracking and centimetre-level accuracy, RTK lets you see where every machine is and what it’s doing. This improves coordination, reduces idle time and supports more efficient job scheduling.

Managing compliance and inspections

RTK helps verify completed tasks, working areas and timing. You can show proof of treatment zones, chemical use and legal buffer strips – helping meet certification and reporting requirements.

Accounting for every action

All operations are automatically recorded with location, time and date. This supports traceability, helps track performance and forms the basis for season reviews and planning ahead.

Where RTK Makes a Difference in Field Operations

RTK navigation significantly improves the precision and productivity of various agricultural tasks. From planting to harvesting, centimetre-level accuracy enables farmers to automate processes, avoid resource waste and reduce operational risks. Here's how RTK contributes to each key field operation:

Sowing and planting crops

RTK helps ensure consistent row spacing and precise seed placement. With deviations reduced to just a few centimetres, equipment can follow pre-set lines, avoiding overlaps and missed spots. This is especially important for inter-row crops and high-value seeds, where precision impacts both yield and efficiency.

By ensuring repeatable passes, RTK also sets a reliable foundation for follow-up operations such as weeding, fertilising and spraying. Uniform planting improves crop health and makes subsequent tasks easier to plan and execute.

Spraying and fertilising

When applying fertilisers or plant protection products, accuracy is critical. RTK ensures that machinery follows the exact same lines each time, allowing automatic section control systems to switch on and off at the right moments. This minimises double application and untreated areas.

As a result, farmers can save on input costs, reduce environmental impact, and boost the consistency of crop care. Precision application also supports sustainable practices and regulatory compliance.

Soil cultivation

RTK allows farmers to cultivate soil with pinpoint control over direction, depth and width. This is vital for creating uniform soil conditions and avoiding overlapping passes that waste time and fuel.

The system is especially effective in operations like strip-till or subsoiling, where accuracy ensures effective preparation without disturbing neighbouring rows. Repeated cultivations can follow the same line, improving efficiency and preserving soil structure.

Irrigation and watering

In precision irrigation setups, RTK helps to position pipes and emitters exactly where needed. This is crucial in irregular or sloped fields, where uneven watering can lead to yield loss.

With accurate mapping and positioning, farmers can plan watering zones more efficiently and adjust irrigation according to crop needs. This improves water use efficiency, reduces runoff and supports optimal plant development.

Harvesting

During harvest, RTK enables combines and harvesters to follow original planting lines, even in low-visibility or complex field conditions. This helps maximise yield by reducing crop damage and minimising unharvested patches.

Accurate harvesting also reduces soil compaction by avoiding unnecessary passes and simplifies logistics planning for grain transport and field traffic. It closes the loop on a full season of precision-guided operations.

Getting Started with RTK on Your Farm

To implement RTK technology effectively on a farm, you need either your own base station or access to an external RTK network. It’s also essential to ensure a stable correction signal – via mobile internet, radio connection or NTRIP – and use equipment that supports real-time corrections. Your tractors, implements or drones must be fitted with compatible GNSS receivers and navigation systems that can integrate with digital farm platforms.

Another important factor is proper setup and maintenance. The system requires regular calibration, stable power supply, and reliable connectivity to deliver centimetre-level accuracy. You should also make sure that all components – from hardware to software – are compatible, and that your operators understand how to use RTK in the field. With the right configuration, RTK pays off quickly by reducing costs, improving accuracy and boosting overall farm efficiency.