<div class="htmlview paragraph">A new control system for combine harvesters has been developed allowing vertical and lateral header control both above and on the ground. A further characteristic of this new control system is its active oscillation damping during transport with header installed.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">Above-ground header control with programmable stubble height operates without contact. The ground clearance is measured using ultrasonic sensors with adaptive signal filtering in order to distinguish ground signals from crop signals.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">The ground pressure is controlled by reference to the measured pressure in the hydraulic lift cylinder. A high-resolution pressure sensor continually measures the residual weight of the header. The pressure signal in the lift cylinder is also used for active oscillation damping of the combine harvester's pitching motion.</div>