Nordian and Hural transform robotic agriculture

Hural, a Brazilian company specializing in autonomous robots for agriculture, faced serious challenges in delivering precise positioning in complex environments. After testing conventional RTK GNSS solutions and encountering issues with infrastructure, cost, and reliability, Hural partnered with Nordian to deploy PointPerfect Flex, the industry-leading PPP-RTK correction service from u-blox.
 

With this new approach, Hural achieved centimeter-level positioning accuracy and robust heading data without the burden of traditional RTK infrastructure, paving the way for more efficient, scalable agricultural robotics in Brazil and beyond.
 

Challenges

Precision agriculture demands highly accurate, real-time positioning for robotic systems operating across large and often obstructed fields. Hural initially looked to traditional RTK systems, but faced critical limitations:

Challenge #1: Infrastructure Dependency RTK solutions required local base stations, complicating deployment and ongoing operations Challenge #2: Signal Reliability  RTK’s reliance on radio signals meant frequent dropouts due to physical obstacles in the field Challenge #3: Limited Options Available solutions from providers like Hexagon and Trimble were costly, and suffered from slow convergence times, making them less practical for rapid deployment

 

These issues made it clear: Hural needed a more reliable, scalable, and cost-effective solution to support its growing fleet of agricultural robots.
 

Solution

To complement the correction service, Hural integrated the u-blox ZED-F9P GNSS module via the advanced OEM board from Nordian into its robotic platform. This high-precision board is designed for seamless integration, offering an industry-standard form factor, support for both PPP-RTK and RTK corrections, and plug-and-play compatibility with PointPerfect Flex via L-band and IP. 

This setup allowed Hural to streamline development, reduce hardware complexity, and accelerate time to market—all while maintaining centimeter-level accuracy and robust performance in the field.
 

The PointPerfect Flex correction service from u-blox, is delivered via two integrated smart antennas on each robot. This dual-antenna system provides both:
●    High-precision positioning, with centimeter-level accuracy

●    Robust heading data, even when the robots are stationary or maneuvering through dynamic environments

Because PointPerfect Flex is delivered over cloud and L-band satellite, the system eliminates the need for local base stations, offering instant scalability across any region.
 

Boosting productivity

“This solution can enhance essential agricultural activities like spraying, promoting resource savings, reducing waste, and significantly boosting productivity.”
Alberto Youssef, Sales Director, Hural Dynamics

Outcomes

Precision and reliability
The combination of PointPerfect Flex’s accuracy and Nordian’s device integration dramatically improved robotic performance—even in challenging agricultural terrains.

Cost efficiency
Without the need for base stations, Hural cut down significantly on capital expenditure and operational maintenance costs.

Scalability
Thanks to Nordian’s device management platform, Hural can now deploy and manage new robotic units with ease, scaling across agricultural operations rapidly.

Productivity gains
The robots operate more precisely during tasks like spraying and seeding, reducing input waste, optimizing resource use, and boosting yield potential for end-users.

 

Looking Ahead: Driving Innovation in Brazilian Agriculture

Hural sees significant potential for PointPerfect Flex-enabled robotics to drive the next wave of innovation in Brazilian agriculture, and across Latin America. Applications include:
●    Precision spraying with reduced chemical waste

●    Automated seeding for optimized plant spacing

●    Data-driven monitoring with minimal human oversight

Conclusion

The collaboration between Hural and Nordian, powered by u-blox PointPerfect Flex, demonstrates how next-generation GNSS correction services can overcome the limitations of traditional RTK. For agricultural robotics manufacturers, this approach opens the door to affordable, scalable, and high-performance automation, without the infrastructure headaches.

Learn more about Nordian's RTK-as-a-Service offerings at Nordian.com
Explore Hural’s robotic solutions at Hural.com.br/en