FJD AT2 vs Wheelman: an honest comparison from a dealer who sells one of them
Deep Sand Tech sells FJDynamics kits, so read this knowing that. We wrote it because "Wheelman vs FJD AT2" is the question farmers ask on AgTalk and Reddit every spring, and nobody with hands on either system has answered it plainly. Every Wheelman fact below is quoted from Handsfree Farm’s own pages as of October 2026, with nothing added.
Ask us which one fits your farm Call or Text (580) 394-0089Side by side
Left column is the FJD AT2 family we sell. Right column is Wheelman, quoted from Handsfree Farm's product, specs, FAQ and Why Wheelman pages on October 8, 2026. Where their pages do not say, we say "not mentioned" rather than guess.
| FJD AT2 (what we sell) | Wheelman (their words) | |
|---|---|---|
| Correction signal | RTK over cellular (GEODNET network), your own radio base station, or StarNav satellite correction. Also runs WAAS when nothing else is available. | Standard Smart Antenna: "single-frequency differential GNSS with SBAS", "utilizes free WAAS GPS correction." Optional HPX-200 antenna uses "the HPX-10 satellite correction service," which "is a subscription based service." RTK is not mentioned. |
| Stated accuracy | About 2.5 cm (one inch) pass-to-pass with RTK under normal conditions, per FJD. The same lines year after year, because RTK is repeatable. | Wheelman Flex: "keeps your vehicle on path within 4-6 inches." With HPX-200 and the HPX-10 subscription: "1.6 inch pass-to-pass accuracy." Handsfree Farm notes its precision figure "does not reflect either the absolute accuracy of the position or pass-to-pass accuracy." |
| Display | Dedicated in-cab display: 10-inch tablet on the AT2 Lite, 10.1-inch terminal on the AT2, 12.1-inch on the AT2 Max, 16-inch on the AT2 Ultra. Coverage map, field boundaries, lines and jobs stored on the display. | Whirl mobile app on "iPhone, iPad, or Android phones or tablets," plus a built-in "Guidance Dashboard" that can run the unit after calibration. "Your mobile device will be needed for any changes or updates to your settings." |
| Steering | Motorized steering wheel on the column (AT2 family), hydraulic valve kit (AH2) or steer-ready kit (AS2) for tractors that came guidance-ready from the factory. Wheel angle sensor optional on most tractors. | Motorized steering wheel on the column. Fit kits by vehicle; "over 700 vehicle makes and models." |
| Headland turns | Automatic U-turn on the AT2, AT2 Max and AT2 Ultra; the tractor turns and picks up the next pass on its own. | Straight, contour, pivot and A+ paths. Automatic U-turn is not mentioned. |
| Implements | ISOBUS implement control, section control and rate control from the same display on the AT2, AT2 Max and AT2 Ultra. Path Assist implement steering available. | Section control, rate control and ISOBUS are not mentioned. "Wheelman can autosteer your tractor for pull behind tillage, disking and spraying." |
| Night and dust | RTK line holds with zero visibility; our customers dig peanuts after dark on it. | Any guidance system helps here; accuracy is whatever the correction gives you. |
| Warranty | Two years on the main parts. | "Comes with a one year warranty" (Wheelman Pro page). |
| Support | Deep Sand Tech, Lone Wolf, Oklahoma. Phone and text 8 AM to 8 PM daily, remote login to your display, and a dealer that runs the same kits on its own farm. | "Contact support at 1-877-WHEELMAN or check out our online help." Hours not stated. |
| What you pay to run it | First year of network RTK included in our quotes. After that, a yearly network RTK renewal, or no network fee at all if you run your own base station. Cellular SIM if you use the network. No software subscription to keep steering. | "No subscription fees when using WAAS." High-accuracy mode "requires a subscription to the HPX-10 satellite correction service." |
| Price | We do not publish prices. Call for a quote on the kit and on what it costs to run. | Not shown on the product, specs or FAQ pages we checked. |
The one difference that decides it: RTK
GPS by itself puts a tractor within a few feet. WAAS, the free correction both systems can use, gets that to a few inches, and the position drifts through the day, so the line you planted on in the morning is not quite where the system thinks it is after lunch. RTK uses a base station or a network of them within a few dozen miles to correct the receiver in real time, and that gets you to about an inch, repeatable, on the same lines next year.
Wheelman does not offer RTK as of this writing. Its high-accuracy option is a satellite correction subscription at a stated 1.6 inches. The FJD AT2 runs RTK off the GEODNET network, off your own base station, or off StarNav. For tillage and spraying, several inches is fine and Wheelman does the job. For planting, strip-till, bedding, digging peanuts, or anything where this year's pass has to land on last year's, you need RTK.
FJD AT2 on RTK, on older tractors
What the one-inch line looks like from the cab.
What the FJD kit puts on the tractor
Our honest take
- Pick Wheelman if the job is tillage, mowing or broadcast spraying, a few inches is fine, and you want the least money in it.
- Pick the FJD AT2 if you plant or dig on last year's rows, run sections or a rate controller, want the tractor to turn itself at the headland, or want a dealer you can call at 7 PM who will log into your screen.
- Either way, fix the steering slop first. Both systems steer to the line; a loose front end is what makes either one hunt.
- Make, model and year of the tractor
- What you will run it on: planter, drill, sprayer, digger
- Whether you need sections or rate control
- Your farm's location so we check RTK coverage first
Common questions
Is Wheelman RTK?
Not as of October 2026. Wheelman’s standard antenna uses free WAAS correction, and Handsfree Farm states the Flex keeps the tractor on path within 4 to 6 inches. Their HPX-200 antenna with the subscription HPX-10 satellite service is stated at 1.6 inches pass-to-pass. Neither is RTK, and Wheelman’s pages do not mention RTK or a base station.
Is the FJD AT2 really within an inch?
With an RTK correction, yes: FJD states about 2.5 cm pass-to-pass under normal conditions, which is right at one inch, and that is what our customers see on planters and peanut diggers. Without RTK, on WAAS alone, the AT2 is in the same several-inch range as any WAAS system. The accuracy is in the correction, not the brand.
Which one is cheaper?
Wheelman is cheaper to buy. Over several seasons it depends on what you run: Wheelman’s high-accuracy mode is a yearly subscription, and the FJD kit has a yearly network RTK renewal after the first year unless you run your own base station. We do not publish prices on this site; call and we will quote both the kit and what it costs to run.
Can Wheelman run my planter or sprayer sections?
Wheelman’s pages do not mention ISOBUS, section control or rate control. The FJD AT2 and AT2 Max run ISOBUS implements, section control and rate control from the same display as the steering.
Does Wheelman do automatic headland turns?
Handsfree Farm lists straight, contour, pivot and A+ paths. Their pages do not mention automatic U-turns. The FJD AT2 and AT2 Max turn at the headland on their own and pick up the next pass.
Why would someone pick Wheelman over FJD?
Price, and a lighter install. If the job is tillage or spraying where a few inches is fine and you want the least money in it, Wheelman is a fair choice. If you plant, strip-till, dig peanuts or run sections, you need RTK and a display that runs the implement, and that is the AT2.
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