Irrigation systems maker Reinke Manufacturing has unveiled ReinCloud 3, the latest update to its cloud computing software for iOS and Android.
The company, based in southern Nebraska, says compared to previous versions of ReinCloud, the new version is more intuitive and allows operators to integrate more data-driven information into their water management.
“It’s way more advanced than what was previously out there,” Reinke president Chris Roth says. “For example, you can have any kind of map. You can load that into the app so you can get your irrigation scheduling much more precise based on those inputs.”
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Compared to previous versions of the system, dating back to 2016, there are now more options on control settings as well.
“Within the app you can set up different kinds of controls,” Roth says. For example, “you might give your agronomist the ability to turn on the irrigation.”
ReinCloud 3 is designed with mobile devices in mind, but it’s fully functional on all digital platforms, including iPads, desktops and laptops.
A number of screen features can be customized on the new app. The order in which widgets appear on the screen can be set to any preference. Operators can move those that are most important to them to a more prominent position.
“We wanted to make sure the colour-coding makes sense to you,” Roth says. “You can change them however you want. You can also change the widgets on the dashboard … Maybe you just want on-off, so you can put that at the top of your list. It’s fully customizable, so you can do whatever you want to do.”
As for remotely controlling a system in the field, a number of updates are available there as well.
An operator can change the start and stop position of the end gun by moving its position on a screen image with a finger, rather than needing to know the exact GPS co-ordinates.
The new app is backward-compatible with the systems currently in use, so no changes need to be made to existing equipment. Anyone using an earlier version of the software can easily update it to ReinCloud 3.
“They just need to contact their dealer to do that, or we have support here at headquarters, but it’s pretty easy. There’s a navigate button and it just takes a minute. It moves over for you,” Roth says.
The new app also has an increased level of security to help prevent hacking into the system or allowing it to be used as a gateway to other programs a grower might have on digital devices. The new added steps include biometric and multi-factor authentication.
“Because of the world we live in now, we have more advanced security,” Roth says. ”We haven’t really heard of any hacking into irrigation systems, but the concern is that it’s coming, so we wanted to make sure these guys can protect their operation.
“Hackers are just looking for the weak spot, then they can get into your entire operation.”
