Last weekend, one of the most powerful solar storms in decades hit Earth, sending stunning auroras far from the poles.
For some farmers, however, the geomagnetic storm was more of a headache.
Charged particles disrupted GPS and precision farming systems during this weekend's solar storm, according to a John Deere dealer and a report in 404 Media.
Landmark Implement, a John Deere dealer in Kansas and Nebraska, wrote in an update that some GPS system networks were affected by the storm. This led to connectivity and accuracy issues with the real-time kinematic systems that use GPS and ground-based data to help farmers plant crops and spray fertilizer with pinpoint accuracy.
Landmark Implement has been releasing updates throughout the weekend, with the most recent on Sunday warning farmers that some systems are “extremely vulnerable.” According to the updates, pass-to-pass accuracy is “extremely impacted.”
While the dealership said the situation is “definitely not ideal,” it also said it is not expected to result in major overlaps or gaps.
“We believe in this historic event and will not continue to have to contend with it frequently,” it said in an update, adding: “The storm affected all GPS brands, not just John Deere.”
According to 404 Media's report, the glitch caused many farmers to halt their planting operations.
John Deere was a leading name in precision agriculture, having pioneered self-propelled tractors.
High-tech agricultural equipment has become an increasingly important part of modern agriculture. Farmers have started using automated tractors to plant crops in such a way that the spacing is perfect and the yield of their crops is maximized.
404 media outlets reported that errors in planting or harvesting due to the solar storm could cause automated devices to damage crops in the future.
John Deere and Landmark Implement did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment.
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