document: User Manual product: FarmDefender Depth FD-84D version: 1.2 revised: 2026-06-15 applies-to: All FD-84D systems shipped on or after 2026-05-05

FarmDefender™ Depth FD-84D — User Manual

Document version: 1.1 (revised 2026-05-05) System serial: (your system serial) (e.g. FD-84D-26-0001)

First time? If you haven't installed the system yet, start with the Install Guide. This manual assumes the system is mounted, wired, and has booted at least once.

Quick reference

Daily routine

Before you head to the field

1. Visual check — walk the toolbar. Cameras still aimed at the ground? Cables intact? No obvious damage from the last run?
2. Lens check — wipe each camera lens with a soft microfiber cloth if there's mud or dust on it. Do not use solvents or abrasive cloths; the lens is glass with a coating.
3. Power on tractor — implement-light circuit goes hot, system boots automatically.
4. Connect to dashboard (optional, recommended for first run of the day): - Phone/laptop → Starlink WiFi - Browser → http://farmdefender-depth.local:8080/ - Verify all 9 camera tiles green + GPS lock
5. Drive. That's it.

During seeding

The system runs autonomously. Nothing required at the cab.

If you want to check status mid-run, you can pull up the dashboard from your phone over Starlink WiFi at any time. Most folks check once at the start of a field and don't think about it again.

End of day

• Power down — turn off the tractor implement-light circuit (turning off the ignition is sufficient on most tractors).
• The SSD has all of today's data. It survives power-off cleanly; no shutdown procedure required.
• Sync — when you're back in range of cell or home WiFi (Starlink also works), the system uploads any data not yet pushed to FarmIQ.

Reading the dashboard

The dashboard is served from the central ECU at http://farmdefender-depth.local:8080/ (LAN) or via the FarmIQ portal (remote, via Starlink).

Status indicators

Capture stats

• Cameras streaming — should be 9/9 during operation
• Frames captured today — counts up while the bar's moving
• Rocks detected (preliminary) — running count from the on-camera model
• Storage used — 2 TB SSD, typical day burns 50–100 GB depending on how much you drove

Maintenance

Daily (during seeding season)

• Wipe camera lenses if dusty/muddy. 2-second job per camera, soft microfiber.

Weekly

• Visual inspection of all cable runs along the boom. Look for:
• Chafing where the cable touches the bar
• Zip-ties that loosened or broke
• Pigtails near connectors that might have flexed too much
• Check the ECU enclosure — Pelican case latches still snapped, no water visible through the lid.

After every fold/unfold cycle

• Inspect the wing uplinks (U1 + U2) where they cross the fold hinge. Make sure they aren't binding, kinking, or pinched.

End of season

• Power off the system fully (disconnect from implement plug or turn off tractor master).
• Pull the 2 TB SSD if you want to mail it back for retraining (we provide a return label).
• Or leave it in if you've already synced everything via Starlink.
• Inspect every connector for corrosion. Apply dielectric grease to anything that's gotten wet.
• Cover or store the cameras — they're IP65, but covering helps with sun fade and bird droppings during storage.
• Disconnect the implement plug if the tractor is going to be parked for months.

Pre-season (next year)

• Reverse the storage steps: uncover, reconnect, power up.
• Run a 5-minute test capture while parked to verify everything still works.
• Update the on-camera model (we push new versions over Starlink — check the dashboard for an "Update available" banner).

Troubleshooting

"One camera tile is red on the dashboard"

1. Note which camera (C1 through C9).
2. Walk to that camera. Check the cable from the camera back to its wing switch (or to the ECU for C5).
3. Unplug + replug both ends of the bridge cable for that camera. Listen for the wedgelock click.
4. Wait 30 seconds. If the tile goes green: solved.
5. If still red: try swapping that bridge cable with a known-good one (e.g., temporarily move E1 to E2's slot). If the problem follows the cable, the cable is bad — call us.
6. If the problem stays at the position, the camera is bad — call us.

"All cameras are red, GPS is red, dashboard is unreachable"

System isn't booting or has lost power.

1. Check the tractor's implement-light circuit (key on?).
2. Check the inline fuse on the 12 V side — if it's blown, replace with a 10 A blade fuse.
3. Check that both DT-2 input plugs at the converters are seated.
4. If still no boot, call us.

"GPS won't get a lock"

1. Verify the antenna has clear sky view. Indoors / in a shed it won't lock.
2. Check the SMA connector at the ECU is finger-tight (don't crank it).
3. Check the 3 m antenna coax for damage along its run.
4. Call us if the issue persists outdoors with sky view for >5 minutes.

"Storage is at 95% — what do I do?"

1. The system rotates old data automatically once Starlink confirms upload to FarmIQ. So 95% usually means you've been out of Starlink range for a while.
2. Park where the Starlink Mini can see sky. Wait an hour. Storage should drop.
3. If storage doesn't drop, your Starlink isn't connecting — check the Starlink router/antenna.
4. Worst case, call us — we can fly out a swap SSD overnight.

"Starlink shows offline"

1. Check the Starlink antenna has sky view + isn't blocked by a building / tree.
2. Verify Starlink router has power (its own LED).
3. Check the FD-PWR-SL cable from the converter to the Starlink router.
4. Walk through the Starlink app's troubleshooting if the FarmDefender side seems fine — usually it's a Starlink network issue, not a FarmDefender one.

Support

Phone: (406) 594-2767 Email: support@farmtech.us Customer dashboard: https://farmiq.ai/farmboss

Remote support

If you give us permission, we can remote into your ECU over Starlink and diagnose without you having to do anything. Just call and say "you can remote in" — we'll handle the rest.

Reporting an issue

When calling or emailing, please include: - System serial (FD-84D-<YY>-<####> from the build record card) - What happened + when (date + approximate time) - What's red on the dashboard (if anything) - What you've tried (if anything)

A quick screenshot of the dashboard is worth a thousand words.

Warranty

• 1 year on FarmTech-supplied hardware (cameras, ECU, switches, cables, mounts) from ship date.
• Year-1 Starlink service included; service transfers to your account afterward.
• AI model retrained on your fields at the end of season 1 — included.

Damage from impact, water ingress beyond IP65 rating, or modifications void warranty. Wear items (zip-ties, split-loom, cleaning cloths) are not warrantied.

What's NOT supported (yet)

• Over-the-air firmware updates — Year 1 we update via remote SSH; Year 2+ we'll have proper OTA.
• In-app rock picker bookings — works on phone via FarmIQ portal but the standalone app is in beta. Use the web portal for now.

Appendix A: Hardware reference

For the curious or for deep diagnostics:

• Cameras: Stereo depth camera, 97° HFOV, IP65 sealed aluminum
• Compute: On-board computer (8 GB) running a hardened 64-bit Linux OS
• Storage: Samsung T9 USB SSD, 2 TB
• GPS: L76X (GPS + BeiDou via SBAS, single-band L1)
• Network switches: 3× E-link LNK-IMC005GP (5-port industrial PoE, 12–48 V wide range)
• Power: 2× 480 W 12V→48V DC-DC converters, 10 A primary fuse on 12 V side
• Connectivity: Starlink Mini (Year 1 included)
• Safety: Class 1 IR laser dot projector on each depth camera (per IEC 60825-1) — eye-safe at all viewing distances. Don't stare directly into the camera lens at close range.

For the full BOM, schematics, and cable schedule, see docs/product-specs/hardware-specifications.md in the FarmDefender Depth repository (online customer portal access on request).

Appendix B: Compliance

• FCC: the on-board computer module carries its own FCC/IC IDs — see the device label.
• IP rating: Cameras and wing switch boxes IP65; central ECU enclosed in IP67-rated Pelican 1200.
• Operating temperature: -20°C to +60°C (-4°F to +140°F). Outside this range we don't guarantee operation.
• Storage temperature: -40°C to +80°C.

Revision history

FarmTech Solutions, Inc. Choteau, Montana · (406) 594-2767 · support@farmtech.us · farmtech.us

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