Before You Choose A Boundary Wire-Less Robot Lawn Mower – Read This
And we have been happy to have our models compared with any others, at any time.
Or do they mean anything at all? We will try to decypher and cut through the hype here for you.
RTK (Real-Time Kinematic positioning).
RTK involves a system with two GPS receivers, which are supposed to give the system pinpoint accuracy.
It sounds scientific, but there is also a scientific principle that accuracy can come at the cost of precision.
An RTK based solution is not suited for situations where the GPS signal RTK base can be be obscured.
For example, where:
- there are trees with a canopy that covers more than 15% of the garden;
- the house is more than 5m tall;
- there are hedges more than 2m tall;
- there are walls more than 5m tall;
- there are passages less than 3m wide;
- there are multiple lawns with small crossing areas.
Also things outside your garden may affect it as well e.g. tall buildings which will shield the GPS signal.
And the above probably covers about 80% of all gardens.
If your yard has any of the above, then a wired solution might be better.
It is also not just a question of putting an RTK mower down and pressing the button:
- The base station and potentially a separate aerial need to be installed;
- the mower needs to be taught where the edge of the lawn is;
- this process may need to be done several times to get the installation right.
vSLAM. visual Simultaneous Localization And Mapping
The teechnology is like what is used for autonomous cars. The term for this is called ‘loop closure’.
The vSLAM system uses an algorithm to recognize that it is in the same or a similar location as before.
Some Of the Issues We have Found
Precision
The navigation precision is not always there with boundary wire-less robotic lawnmowing installations.And it needs to be.
Systems may encounter difficulties with precision in their navigation.
And this will ultimately lead to uneven mowing patterns, and missed spots.
Coverage.
Without a boundary wire, how wide can the coverage area be? It’s uncertain.
And can these systems cope with irregular shapes in the mowing area? also uncertain.
Landscapes.
Not every lawn is a regular rectangular piece of open lawn.
Trees, garden beds, structures, etc. are usually found within the mowing area or on its perimeter.
That makes it more challenging for the mower to discern the mowing area from other features in the landscape.
Interference.
We already know that large trees and structures can obstruct and interfere with weak radio signals.
And we have heard that some GPS based systems can suffer interference where large trees are in the garden.
Weather.
It has also been said that extreme weather conditions, such as heavy cloud, rain, or extreme heat can affect the performance of these boundary wire-less systems.
Straying.
It’s more certain that a wire-bounded mower will stop if it strays outside the mowing area.
That’s because crossing the wire will trigger a local electrical sensor that is in close proximity to the wire.
This configuration is more reliable than having to depend on remote signals to tell the mower to stop.
Electromagnetic Noise.
Some systems rely on ‘beacons’ to ‘peg out’ the corners or edges of the mowing area.
These have been found to create electromagnetic spectrum interferes for other users of the spectrum.
It has been reported as an issue in fields such as astrophysics and radio astronomy.
Complexity.
Of course, the use of more sophisticated technologies, the overall system becomes more complex.
And importantly, it becomes more difficult to diagnose and troubleshoot issues.
We can easily diagnose when a wire sensor, for instance, is not working.
That makes it so much easier to identify, isolate, and implement fixes to any technical issues
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These devices are already quite delicate and require enough attention to service and keep them working effectively. And for us to add another set of uncertainties into the mix will just make it more challenging for all concerned just now.
Shop For robotzoo Lawn Mowers Here
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Wombat Junior I Lawn Mower
Rated 5.00 out of 5$896.50Original price was: $896.50.$797.50Current price is: $797.50.
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