Ditch Assist turns centimeter-level RTK positioning into grade control and guidance for field machines — one kit, one Android tablet, any compatible RTK source. Ditching is an included workflow. Buy the kit for this job and every other implement workflow comes with it — terraces, tile drainage, land forming, single-grade work, levees, leveling — at no extra cost, no per-mode activation. Running a dozer or self-propelled scraper? Ditch Assist Lite runs Ditching as on-screen guidance from an Emlid Reach on the blade.
Survey a route, design with Slope-IQ™, auto-grade with the implement. Curved routes, multi-grade transitions, long drainage runs — Ditch Assist handles them on whichever implement you've hitched up: pull-type scrapers, rotary ditchers or hydraulic blades.
Move the kit between machines in as little as 20 minutes. Scraper today, rotary ditcher tomorrow, pull-type dozer blade next week — one kit follows the work, whichever implement is hitched up.
This is the in-app workflow an operator follows in the field: check module and RTK GPS status, set survey blade height, record the ditch route, confirm water-flow direction, build the Slope-IQ grade design, read the profile and Grade Guide, stage deeper cuts with Auto-Nudge, then start RTK hydraulic control for the grading pass.
Check green module/GPS status, confirm live elevation, enter survey blade height, then record a straight or curved ditch route.
See water-flow direction, minimum grade, depth offset, cut volume, depth limits, and Best-Fit, Guided, and Freeform designs.
Watch Auto-Nudge pass staging, Grade Guide target markers, Hold/manual guidance, stop/resume, and green coverage verification.
This walkthrough simulates the full Ditching mode flow in the Ditch Assist app, matching what an operator does in the field before and during a surface drainage cut.
This setup walkthrough shows the app steps that happen before Ditching mode: unlock field prep tools, cache the field while internet is available, then verify the machine connection in the cab.
Ditching works with full hydraulic automation or live on-screen guidance. Automation is the fastest way to keep the blade on the Slope-IQ target, but guidance-only gives an experienced operator the same profile, Grade Guide, chevrons, and coverage feedback while they run the hydraulics by hand.
Survey the ditch where it needs to go — curves, bends, and dog-legs — and the design follows that line.
Steeper here, flatter there — grade transitions along a single run, all in one design.
Survey and grade long drainage runs in a single session, start to outlet.
Slope-IQ™ Best-Fit hugs the terrain and cuts only what drainage needs.
Pause and resume around standing water, or switch to Shot mode and take point shots — the profile fills in between them.
Shoot a point, drive, and read the live grade between it and your machine — no survey to record.
Save a benchmark at the field entrance; recalibrate to it any day and every survey, design, and job lines up — even after the RTK base moves.
Jobs save coverage, nudges, and passes. Come back, recalibrate — to the ground or the finished grade — and keep cutting.
Survey the route, design with Slope-IQ™ (automatic best-fit or fully custom), then hit START. With automation, Ditch Assist controls your implement's hydraulics to keep the blade on grade through every pass; with guidance only, you follow the chevrons and work the levers.
You only survey the centerline. As you grade, Ditch Assist targets the elevation of the nearest point on that surveyed line — so one pass down the middle sets the target across the full width of the cut. The grade runs along the line exactly as Slope-IQ™ designed it, level across at every station; past the ends, the target holds the last surveyed elevation rather than guessing beyond your data.
Survey the route and Ditch Assist works out the cut — downhill to the outlet, on minimum grade, moving the least dirt possible. The design engine is called Slope-IQ.
Three ways to design a ditch: let the app work it out, set the grade breaks yourself, or place every point by hand.
Slope-IQ™ works out the ditch design from your survey — respecting your minimum grade, depth budget, and any control points you set. Best-Fit hugs the terrain, Guided enforces your grade-break points, Freeform lets you place every vertex yourself.
Sample 1,310 ft survey. The design rules are the app’s own; your survey will give its own design.
Most ditches are too deep to cut in a single pass. Ditch Assist stages the depth pass by pass, each one held to the max cut you set for your scraper. That engine is Auto-Nudge.
When the design cut is deeper than your scraper can take in one pass, Auto-Nudge™ stages the cuts for you. Set your max cut per pass; the system computes the target depth for the current pass and you tap to advance when each pass is done. The profile chart shows exactly how much further you've got to final grade. With the Full Automation Kit, Ditch Assist works raise/lower to each pass’s target. With the Guidance Only Kit (unless it is plugged into a compatible factory valve) or Ditch Assist Lite, you work the controls to match it.
Configure the deepest single-pass cut your scraper and conditions can handle (default 2″). Auto-Nudge™ respects that limit on every pass. The design dialog shows the estimated pass count before you implement.
Auto-Nudge™ computes the cut depth for the current pass — never more than your max. The profile chart shows the active pass as a bold dashed line, with future passes faded behind it so you always see what's left.
After completing a full pass over the route, tap Pass + in the sidebar. The system sets the next target, the profile updates, and you keep cutting until you're on final grade.
LiDAR Drainage Mapping pulls free public LiDAR for your field wherever coverage exists and draws three layers on your map — flow routes, ponding risk, and closed depressions — in about thirty seconds. Survey the ditch along the line water already follows, and Slope-IQ™ Best-Fit has less to do: less depth cut, less dirt moved, more acres drained. Built into the app and currently included at no additional cost with every Ditch Assist kit and with Ditch Assist Lite.
Ditch Assist works with the most common ditching equipment — pull-type scrapers, rotary ditchers, and hydraulic blades. Pick yours below for setup and compatibility details. Ditch Assist Lite is guidance-only grade control for any machine or implement you can attach a GPS to: a dozer, a self-propelled scraper, or a tractor with a scraper, ditcher or blade. It needs only a GPS on the blade, no wires, and you work the controls. It has no upgrade path: automation later means buying the Full Automation Kit (which we still recommend for most farms) at full price, with no credit for Ditch Assist Lite.
The Full Automation Kit adds full RTK GPS grade control to any hydraulically operated pull-type scraper: Ditch Assist drives the raise/lower hydraulics automatically — PWM valve, hoses, fittings, and a manual-bypass circuit all included. The Guidance Only Kit gives live on-screen on-grade feedback so the operator works the existing hydraulics manually — control module and harness only, no plumbing. Add our valve later and it becomes the Full Automation Kit.
Our standard hydraulic valve provides reliable and precise blade control for typical scrapers used in Western Canada and the Northern U.S., with easily adjustable hydraulic responsiveness via the Min Valve DC and Max Valve DC (duty cycle) settings in the Ditch Assist app. Turn up DC for larger scrapers, or lower it slightly for smaller units. Optional high-flow valve spool upgrades are available for extra-large scrapers — contact us to discuss your specific needs.
Because the Ditch Assist valve is portable and typically mounted on the implement (or tractor), it's easy to switch between tractors or implements throughout the day. Simply weld additional mounts on other equipment, or mount the valve on the tractor if you frequently switch implements. Wi-Fi from the control module to the cab means minimal wiring, allowing you to change tractors and be back grading in as little as 20 minutes.
Slope-IQ™ designs the best-fit grade from your survey. Auto-Nudge™ sets each pass's target no deeper than your max cut — set the max cut to match your tractor. Tap Pass + after each run to step toward final grade.
Ditch Assist works with any compatible RTK GPS system. Starting without RTK? Ask us about our RTK bundles.
RTK GPS grade control for rotary ditchers. The Full Automation Kit ships with the PWM hydraulic valve, hoses, fittings, and a manual-bypass circuit, and Ditch Assist works raise/lower for you. Prefer to run the hydraulics yourself? The Guidance Only Kit (control module + harness only) gives the same on-screen on-grade feedback without the plumbing, and can take our valve later to become the Full Automation Kit.
Run a Revolution Ditcher? Ditch Assist plugs directly into its factory-installed PWM hydraulic valve — you only need our affordable Guidance Only Kit. No extra valve, no plumbing, and Ditch Assist works raise/lower through that factory valve. Owners of other ditchers with existing valves should call to confirm compatibility; most still need the Full Automation Kit.
Wireless connectivity reduces cab wiring, and the Min Valve DC and Max Valve DC (duty cycle) settings in the Ditch Assist app let you set how fast the hydraulics respond for each ditcher model and size. Either kit moves quickly between tractors or implements, getting you back to ditching in as little as 20 minutes.
Slope-IQ™ designs the cut profile from your survey. Auto-Nudge™ sets each pass's target no deeper than your max cut — set the max cut to match your tractor. Increment pass number after each run until you're on final grade.
Ditch Assist works with any compatible RTK GPS system, and we offer RTK bundles for operators starting fresh. Contact us for details or compatibility questions.
Both the Full Automation Kit and the Guidance Only Kit add RTK GPS grade control to hydraulic blades and land-leveling equipment, including pull-type dozer blades. The Full Automation Kit drives the existing raise/lower hydraulics so the blade tracks grade automatically through the ditch profile; the Guidance Only Kit displays live on-grade feedback while the operator works the raise/lower hydraulics manually, and can take our valve later to become the Full Automation Kit.
Either way, Ditch Assist works with the raise/lower function only. Other blade functions — tilt, side-wing — stay manually operated. For tilt-capable blades, keep the tilt angle constant from initial survey through to grading; changing it mid-operation alters the GPS height offset and causes deviation from your intended grade.
Slope-IQ™ Best-Fit, Guided, and Freeform engines design the ditch profile from your survey, while Auto-Nudge™ sets each pass's target no deeper than your max cut, so no pass asks for more depth than your tractor can pull.
With either kit, Wi-Fi from the control module to the cab means fast swaps between tractors or implements — no harness rewiring.
Works with any compatible RTK GPS — ask about our RTK bundles for new RTK buyers.
Whichever kit you buy for ditching — Full Automation or Guidance Only — unlocks every other implement workflow in the Ditch Assist app. No extra cost, no per-mode activation. Tile run in the spring, bin pad in the fall, terraces next season — same kit, same tablet, same operator. Ditch Assist Lite runs every one of these modes too, Tiling and Land Forming included, as guidance: you work the controls to the on-screen target. The Guidance Only Kit can take our valve later. Ditch Assist Lite has no upgrade path: automating later means buying the Full Automation Kit at full price, with no credit for Ditch Assist Lite.
Simple Maintenance works existing terraces from one channel survey. Standard Terracing surveys both channel and berm for construction or major rebuilds.
See Terracing → Mode 03Variable-slope and all-way designs from Geo-Surface™, Ezigrade, and other popular land-forming design software, via AGD, LandXML or XYZP.
See Land Forming → Mode 04Single-slope grading or a sloped plane — type a grade percent and go, or survey a centerline and fit one grade to it.
See Simple Grading → Mode 05Sub-surface tile drainage with depth-constrained design and Automatic Rock Hit Recovery.
See Tiling → Mode 06Flat pads for grain bins, machine sheds, riding arenas, and equipment yards.
See Leveling → Mode 07Drive elevation contours for levees, paddy dikes, and contour berms — lightbar guidance with no automation valve or hydraulic plumbing.
See Levee →| One slope | Slope-IQ™ Best-Fit | |
|---|---|---|
| Max cut | 12.8 in | 11.1 in |
| Cut volume | 120.3 yd³ | 105.6 yd³ |
| Needs fill | 487 ft | None |
Sample 1,310 ft survey. Cut volume for an 8 ft bottom and 6:1 side slopes; Best-Fit at 0.05% minimum grade. Vertical scale exaggerated.
Because real drainage rarely runs in a straight line at one grade. Ditching mode surveys the actual ditch line, and Slope-IQ™ builds a multi-grade design to fit it — steeper where the ground falls away, flatter where it doesn’t, downhill to the outlet on your minimum grade. Curves, grade breaks, and depth limits are handled in the design, not set by eye. As you cut, the target follows the surveyed line, so the profile stays right through every bend. And if one slope really is all the job needs, Simple Grading is the faster tool.
Operators running a pull-type scraper, rotary ditcher, hydraulic blade, land leveler, or pull-type dozer blade who need RTK grade control for curved, multi-grade, or long surface drainage runs. Cutting ditches with a dozer or self-propelled scraper? Use Ditch Assist Lite.
For a one-slope pass with no drainage design to survey, see Simple Grading. For excavator bucket guidance instead of implement grade control, see Excavator mode. For building flat pads, see Leveling. For drainage tile, see Tiling.
Answers for operators comparing RTK ditch grade control, laser ditching, Slope-IQ design, and multi-pass drainage cuts.
Ditching mode is for RTK GPS surface drainage work. Survey the ditch route, let Ditch Assist design the grade with Slope-IQ™, then guide or control the implement to cut the ditch on grade.
Yes. Ditching mode follows the surveyed centerline and can run curved, long, and multi-grade drainage routes. As you grade, the target elevation comes from the closest point on the surveyed design.
Yes. Slope-IQ™ Best-Fit can design a downhill ditch profile from the survey while respecting minimum grade and depth settings. Guided and Freeform options are available when you want to place grade breaks manually.
Auto-Nudge™ stages a deep ditch into manageable passes. Set the maximum cut per pass, grade the current pass, then advance the pass target until the ditch reaches final grade.
Yes. The Guidance Only Kit provides the same profile, Grade Guide, chevrons, and coverage feedback while the operator runs the hydraulics manually. Add our valve later and it becomes the Full Automation Kit, where Ditch Assist works raise/lower for you. Ditch Assist Lite needs only a GPS on the blade, no wires: you follow the same on-screen chevrons and work the levers. It suits any machine you can put a GPS on: a dozer, a self-propelled scraper, or a tractor with a scraper or ditcher. It has no upgrade path: automation later means buying the Full Automation Kit (which we still recommend for most farms) at full price, with no credit for Ditch Assist Lite.
Ditch Assist works with common ditching implements that use raise/lower hydraulics: pull-type scrapers, rotary ditchers (including Wolverine, T-REX, Eagle and Revolution ditchers), hydraulic blades, land levelers, and pull-type dozer blades such as the Pulldozer. Ditch Assist Lite runs on any machine you can put a GPS on, dozers and self-propelled scrapers included: an Emlid Reach RS3 or RS4 on the blade, and you work the controls following the on-screen cut/fill. Skid steers and motor graders can be challenging; contact us to discuss before you buy. Ditch Assist Lite works on any machine where the receiver moves up and down with the cutting edge and the blade stays at the same angle (one receiver can’t correct for tilt).
Yes. The Full Automation Kit and the Guidance Only Kit work with compatible RTK GPS sources (John Deere, Trimble, Outback and others) that can feed the Android tablet and control module. Many operators use their existing RTK source, while others start with an Emlid Reach RS3 or RS4 bundle. On a dozer or self-propelled scraper, the Guidance Only Kit can run the RTK GPS you already own while you work the controls; we review each machine first. Ditch Assist Lite needs only a GPS on the implement, no wires: an Emlid Reach RS3 or RS4, including one you already own. On a towed implement, the Guidance Only Kit can take our valve later. Ditch Assist Lite has no upgrade path: automating later means buying the Full Automation Kit at full price, with no credit for Ditch Assist Lite.
Four things: the machine you run, whether you want Ditch Assist to work raise/lower or you work it yourself, the RTK you already own, and what else the system has to do. On scrapers, rotary ditchers and blades, the Full Automation Kit adds our valve and Ditch Assist works raise/lower. The Guidance Only Kit gives on-screen feedback while you run the hydraulics by hand, and becomes the Full Automation Kit when you add our valve later; on an implement with a compatible factory valve, it plugs straight in and Ditch Assist works raise/lower. Both kits work with any NMEA-compatible RTK source. And one Android app runs every mode — terraces, tile, land forming, leveling, and more — included with the kit, with no per-mode activation. Ditch Assist Lite is guidance-only grade control for any machine or implement you can attach a GPS to, from a dozer or self-propelled scraper to a tractor and scraper: only an Emlid Reach RS3 or RS4 on the blade, no wires, with on-screen arrows while you work the levers. Ditch Assist Lite runs every mode as guidance — ditching, terraces, land forming, simple grading, tile, leveling, levees, and Excavator mode as a grade check between cuts — plus LiDAR Drainage Mapping. On the farm it is the lowest-cost way to run Ditch Assist, if you’re happy working the controls yourself, but it has no upgrade path: for automation later, you buy the Full Automation Kit (which we still recommend for most farms) at full price, with no credit for Ditch Assist Lite.
Add the separate Ditch Assist DIG™ Kit for excavator guidance: bucket-tip elevation, trench design, and dug-earth mapping. It runs in the same Ditch Assist app, so operators move from implement grade control to an excavator without learning a new app.
Ditching depends on reliable RTK elevation for every survey point, design check, and blade correction along curved drainage routes. Bring your current RTK, or bundle Emlid RS4 / RS3 base-rover receivers if you are starting without centimeter GPS. The Ditch Assist-only bundle can include the base tripod, tripod extender, mount hardware, and Ditch Assist-to-Emlid RTK GPS cable. Ditch Assist Lite needs only a GPS on the implement, no wires: an Emlid Reach RS3 or RS4 on the machine. RTK corrections usually come from a second Reach as a base, or from a correction network over the receiver’s SIM.
Walk through the Ditching workflow yourself: survey, Slope-IQ™ design, and Auto-Nudge™ grading, all live in your browser.
