Smart Precision: Leveraging GPS Technology for Accurate Navigation in Robot Lawn Mowers

With sensors fixed to the mowers, the wire would need to be dug into the ground and surrounding perimeter by the homeowner or grounds maintenance team, with the robot mower then able to sense when it reached that boundary and turn around to continue its task.

More recent designs, however, have marked a shift away from this wire – and from the labour involved in digging trenches and laying wire perimeters around different outside spaces and patches of lawn. Instead, these modern iterations use GPS and a concept called RTK technology to make lawn care even smarter.

Let’s take a closer look at what RTK technology is and how it enables even more accurate navigation for robot lawn mowers.

What is RTK technology?

RTK technology stands for Real-Time Kinematic technology – and is the system through which modern robot lawn mowers are able to track and map where they are in real-time as they perform their tasks.

It links with satellites to accurately track the plot of lawn that has been programmed for mowing and ensures that the mower knows where it is, which patches have already been mowed, and which areas of the programmed boundary still need to be covered.

One of the biggest reasons why RTK technology is becoming more widely used is the centimetre-accuracy that it promises. RTK tech uses GPS signals to deliver information directly to the mower, facilitating the precision that so many clients and customers are looking for. Mowers which use this technology rely on dual-frequency receivers which receive signals from many satellites at once and pinpoint the location of the mower between those satellites. This also helps them to identify any obstacles and work around them, preventing disruption to the schedule.

Using all of this seemingly complex technology, robot mowers make it incredibly easy for ground maintenance teams and homeowners alike to simply program their mower to trim a patch of lawn and walk away – safe in the knowledge that the mower will get the job done.

The benefits of remote controlled robot mowers

Besides the convenience of being able to set the mower to trim a patch of lawn and then forget it and walk away, other benefits include the quality of the mowing and the efficiency with which it completes the task.

Countless clients and customers herald their robot mower as doing the job of multiple grounds workers, without complaint – working at the best time for the client be it the middle of the night or the break of dawn.

Another benefit worth mentioning is the fact that robot mowers help to maintain a clean and tidy lawn without compacting the soil or damaging the grass. As they are far more lightweight than traditional mowers and do not require manual moving and management, they move easily over different ground conditions and mow the lawn without damaging the structure of the ground.

Finally, it’s worth noting some of the other roles that robot mowers can perform – especially with the help of GPS-enabled RTK technology. If you want to cut a pattern or logo into a pitch or patch of lawn, GPS technology makes this and other tasks possible.

Suffice to say, RTK isn’t just a nice-to-have technology when it comes to robot mower programming and everyday use. Not only does this technology enables the mower to do its core task but it gives you more flexibility over the finished result and how your outside space is presented.

Choosing the right robot mower for you

Here at Groundtech, we work with our clients and customers to determine the main goals and needs of a robot mower and then channel those needs into choosing the right mower.

For advice and guidance on choosing the right mower, and for an in-depth understanding of the benefits behind each model, get in touch with us today.