Robotic Lawn Mower ?

[Perry Holbrook]

Update. So I'm back from the lawn mower show and thought I'd update robotic mowers for anyone interested. It's clear the industry thinks robotics is the future and all are trying to figure out what the market will be and how to meet those needs. I saw maybe 30 different companies that either had a machine in production or were showing prototypes.
They fit in 3 classes.

1. A true robot that did not look like a traditional mower. They were remote control and/or robotic. Could mow hill sides, wet lands, lawns anything. Around $100 K.

2. Bobcat, Scag, and others had machines that looked like a standard zero turn with large decks that you could set on and operate or you could get off and control remotely with a joy stick or you could train it to mow with autonomy. A lawn service can go to the job, drop off the machine and come back to pick it up after the job is done. These machines were prototype with expected production mid next year. Around $30 K

3. Husqvarna, Toro and others had small machines about the size and weight of a larger push mower. They can keep lawns from 1 to 9 acres in size looking freshly cut at all times because they basically run every 1 to 2 days. Some of these machines are currently mowing major golf courses and major league ball parks. It would take 3 of the mid size Husqvarna machines to keep my place freshly mowed at all times. The total cost of those 3 machines would be relatively the same as the cost of the Ferris mower I use now.

It's clear the industry will be much different on 4 to 5 years.. At least I know that when I get too old or wore out, there will be some affordable options available.

It was a very good show with very knowledgeable and helpful booth staffs.

[Bill Dufour]

I have to ask why do folks, without small kids, have a lawn that needs mowing? I grew up in California and I remember my father saying lawns make sense if you live in Connecticut but in California? Look at old photos and no one had lawns until lawn mowers were invented around 1880. Get some sheep and build a haw haw fence.
Bill D

[Jim Koepke]

Look at old photos and no one had lawns until lawn mowers were invented around 1880.

Actually lawns came in well before the invention of the lawnmower. First patent for a lawn mower was in 1830. It did have some kinks to work out.

Lawns were pretty much limited to those who could afford to pay for the maintenance.

It wasn't until much later during the 17th and 18th centuries when lawns really took off in the aristocratic gardens of England. Unlike the lawns we have today, these early lawns were similar to meadows and were made up of wild plants like camomile. Having a lawn in your garden was a status symbol, it showed that your property had land that didn't need to be used for food production and that you could afford to keep the lawn maintained.

Prior to the invention of lawnmowers, it would cost a fair amount of money to keep a large lawn trimmed and healthy. It was common for a scythe or a pair of shears to be used to cut the lawn.

Many sports fields had lawns.

The scythe is an ancient implement and I have used one for mowing parts of my yard. Now days I hire someone with a weed eater to take care of it.

Shears have also been around with usage in ancient Egypt as much as 4,000 years ago.

Not sure when the first "standing shears" were made.

Standing Shears.jpg

I have seen images of this type of shears used for lawn trimming before the lawnmower came into use.

jtk

[Alan Rutherford]

I have to ask why do folks, without small kids, have a lawn that needs mowing?...

Because it's a lot easier to maintain than this and you can actually walk on it.

20231022_113330cr.jpg


We happily mow the part of our property that has been cleared and planted with grass. The part we haven't gotten to looks like this. Worse than this, actually. The foreground of the picture has had the brush and vines cut to provide access to cut down the leaning tree, which arced across our driveway where it was precariously supported by another dead tree.

[Patty Hann]

I have to ask why do folks, without small kids, have a lawn that needs mowing?.
Bill D

Because rock and gravel and tussock-y wild plants do not feel good to bare feet, nor is any of that fun to lie in, and none of that stuff smells as nice as new mown grass.
And I like green and it puts out O₂ and it reduces the temperature near my house by at least 5 degF (which in summer in Phoenix is a big deal)

[Ronald Blue]

I have to ask why do folks, without small kids, have a lawn that needs mowing? I grew up in California and I remember my father saying lawns make sense if you live in Connecticut but in California? Look at old photos and no one had lawns until lawn mowers were invented around 1880. Get some sheep and build a haw haw fence.
Bill D

Clearly you have never lived where there is actual fertile soil underneath the grass. If you don't have grass here you will have weeds and likely in time brush. If it's bare it will be mud whenever it's rainy or snowy. Grass when established is very durable and desirable at least East of the Rockies. People generally had fences to keep the barn yard animals out of the yard years ago. While it might be biodegradable with time goats leave their own mess behind. Wouldn't be much point in having a yard if it wasn't really usable.