A robot lawnmower’s number one advantage is convenience. They’re resistant to the elements, many are able to self-recharge, and they’re designed to get your garden tasks done quickly and efficiently. Most modern electric lawn mowers tend to be battery-powered and run on electric motors, so they aren’t overly loud or disruptive, and they’re getting pretty good at dealing with tall grass or obstacles, and oddly shaped lawns. Innovations like pivoting blades that bounce rather than cut when the mower runs over an object, terrain mapping to generate an increased power as the mower climbs steep slopes and more rugged designs to better cope with longer grass.
How do they work?
Autonomous mowers use a basic mapping system. The user sets out a boundary wire laid into the edge of the area they want to be cut, this can also be extended to cover obstacles in the centre of the lawn. When the robot detects that it’s heading for an edge it changes course in a random direction to avoid it, also making sure that it does not leave track marks in the lawn through repeated crossings.
Random mow systems
Lots of automowers have a random-mow system. They drive in a straight line until they knock into something, then turn around and drive off in the opposite direction, it will usually cover the whole lawn before returning to their charging station when the batteries run dry. Robotic mowers will mow continuously to get the lawn down to a healthy length, so they don’t often mow the entire lawn in one sitting.
Lots of robot lawn mowers are created for domestic use, however, the technology is advancing and larger models are getting there, offering 24-hour cutting over huge areas in all conditions. In some cases, people just don’t want to give up the simple pleasure of mowing their lawn, and there will always be a market for human-operated mowers, but for those looking for something else, robot lawnmowers are now competitive enough and very much on a par with a regular petrol lawnmower, suitable for the same medium-sized gardens.
Here at A Mcilrath & Sons, we provide a range of robotic lawnmowers to match your lawn, no matter the complexity or size. Contact us to arrange a free survey of your lawn. We can install your Automower and provide a full backup service.