by admin | Apr 24, 2026 | Uncategorized
The application of technology including robotics and automation for commercial mowing contractors has started to peak interest in recent years. The current reality today is that most mowing contractors know something about some of the newest technology that is out there for mowing. The reality is also that most of them have never seen or used it first hand, don’t really know much more about it other than it is out there and different from the status quo, and thinking about it or evaluating it is intimidating. Taking the time to learn and understand what products are out there, what their capabilities are, and what the cost of these products are makes sense to any contractor currently mowing commercial or residential properties as part of their operation. The reality of today is that most facility managers of larger areas of turf for places like schools or golf courses are more aware and up to date in terms of what the newest technology can do on large areas compared to contractors themselves.
Part of this is the recency at which products have come to market that are truly capable of assisting commercial contractors in making their operations more efficient and more profitable. In October of 2025 we saw the announcement of the Kress Voyager, this unit was the first wide scale marketing of an autonomous robotic product designed to work with a traditional landscaping/mowing crew and make their operation more efficient and require less man power. There are other models from a variety of manufacturers that also offer larger units capable of much larger acreage than the more widely utilized residential models being marketed extensively to home owners. Most of the other larger mowers are not really designed to travel with a crew like the Kress model, they are designed to be dedicated units to the same property.
The Kress Voyager is designed to be a route based model. There are far more robotic mower options for what can be considered continuous maintenance on a dedicated site. When evaluating the route based model there are several considerations. One of the most significant is timing and coordination. This route based model is a big robotic mower and can cut around 7 acres in a charge, but it is no where near as fast as a human operating a larger stand on or zero turn when talking strictly about acres per hour of mowing. So despite the route based mower being able to travel and remember routing based on one manned cut it is not going to perform as fast as as a human operated mower and crews will need a very high level of coordination so you don’t end up with the robot waiting on the crew or the crew waiting on the robot. This presents a new challenge that remains to be seen how it plays out practically as most deliveries on these are just starting.
This route based model can work, but it is going to struggle the larger the property is. On properties in the 1-3 acre range it should be the strongest it will perform, as acreage gets up closer to 5-10 acres it will be tougher for the crew to not outpace the robot with a route based model. Once things get over 10 acres it almost certainly makes sense to have a dedicated type autonomous mower for more of a continuous type operation.
We do not carry any mowers designed for route based mowing and I’m not sure we ever will. We do have a variety of mowers that can handle between 1 acre and 30 acres in a relatively short time frame and provide a high quality uniform cut while maintaining cost effectiveness. Mowing is often the least skilled aspect of a commercial property maintenance operation. If part of it can be replaced with autonomous mowing, whether route based or dedicated, it is likely going to make sense. The route based robotic mowers out there seem to be significantly more expensive than a mower dedicated to a property, to the tune of 5-10 times higher cost.
By using robotic mowing on one or more properties contractors can save their man power for use on more technical aspects of property care and increase the value their team provides while reducing labor costs, fuel consumption, and equipment needs over time that historically was directed towards the mowing component. With dedicated units there is the option to have the customer purchase the mower or have the contractor purchase the mower. The contractor can then choose to sell their service for a monthly amount that includes robotic mowing or lease the mower to the contractor separately from their other services.
We strongly encourage an in person demonstration of either type of robotic mower so you can evaluate the effectiveness and potential impact on your operations. We are at a point with much of this technology that it is getting so good you can’t afford to ignore it, or your competitors or customers will figure it out and put it to use in your place.
by admin | Apr 19, 2026 | Uncategorized
Most robotic mowers use batteries to function. These are rechargeable and most typically allow somewhere between a couple hours and the bulk of a work day in performance before needing recharging. Most modern robotic mowers will return to the charging station automatically when batteries reach a certain level and then resume the task where they left off after recharging. Some mowers offer a hot swap technology to minimize mower downtime and allow battery switching instead of waiting for recharging.
There are some robotic mowers that utilize internal combustion engines for a power source but the vast majority of these are not autonomous in nature. Right now the majority of the market for robotic mowers utilizing internal combustion engines is within larger units that are typically used for more of a brush type applications or major slope applications where more a bigger machine with more power and range/size is needed and the unit is controlled with a person operating a handheld remote. These type of units are tens of thousands of dollars.
Small residential mowers typically use very minimal wattage when charging and at idle when connected to a charging station. The average cost for a residential mower hooked up to an outlet and powered through the grid runs between $6.00 and $10.00 per year, this number can vary depending on total usage, cost of power, and the length of your mowing season. Larger commercial mowers with bigger batteries and more frequent and sizeable usage will draw more but the cost will not break the bank or be any sort of real high draw. Some older mowers still use a boundary wire and that can also be a small draw even with nothing on the charging station. More modern mowers often have a reference station for RTK which is something mounted near where the mower operates and communicates with satellites or other ground reference stations. These are a very low draw as well that is separate from the charging station. The most modern mowers are using some combination of a net based RTK system and/or LiDar which doesn’t require a separate device or separate power draw.
Another option other than a standard outlet for power is solar. Solar is a great fit for robotic mowers for a couple reasons. One reason being that it allows the mower to be set up and operate from anywhere the solar panels and solar battery system is set up. This can be the side of a yard or wherever one wants it. Many people only have power in certain areas near their garage or house so using solar gives one more freedom in determining the location of mower. Solar can also prove to be a reliable source for remote power. This is particularly useful for more remote applications like rural cemeteries, roadside parks/rest areas, or golf course holes where there may not be any source of grid supplied power within a reasonable distance. There is some additional cost in setting up a solar power system to power a charging/base station but these are often seen for $500 - $2000 when you factor in a complete set up with battery, solar panel/s, and inverter system. One will also not have any recurring power charges to pay for once powered by solar. That cost is unlikely to every pay for the solar equipment needed but it is a factor. Modern solar batteries are often rated for several thousand cycles so this can be a long term solution.
by admin | Apr 14, 2026 | Uncategorized
What areas really work the best for robotic mowing? That is a fair question and while all areas work it is true certain areas and conditions surrounding areas do make the most sense to implement robotic mowing. Robotic mowing can handle virtually any area but really do excel in certain areas compared to traditional mowing. These areas include:
- Remote or difficult to access areas
- Areas with significant slope
- Hazardous areas like a golf range or shooting range
- Hazardous areas around roads or airports
- Areas with many obstacles to maneuver around like tree farms , cemeteries, or orchards.
- Areas that are noise or pollution sensitive - like wildlife refuges, zoos, or churches.
- Areas that present hazards to people and heavier equipment - wetland, pond, or river edges.
- Areas that require more frequent mowing like golf courses.
This isn’t to say a robotic mower won’t work great on a traditional yard or a wide open area of turf like a football field - it absolutely will. There is just an even more significant time savings and reduction in hazards over traditional mowing when we look at the areas and conditions in the first paragraph.
Most robotic mowers for turf applications weigh between 50 and 400 pounds so they don’t tend to have the impact on turf that larger equipment does. Nearly all of them mow a narrower pattern than gas or diesel engine driven equipment but when you can work 24 hours a day and don’t require a person to operate that is offset rather quickly. The narrower width allows for more uniform cutting and maneuverability around objects. Robotic mowers also have a much lower center of gravity than traditional mowing equipment. This provides for more stability on slopes to begin with and adding control autonomously lets robotic mowers avoid situations where a person could get into trouble.
by admin | Apr 12, 2026 | Uncategorized
The benefits of autonomous robotic mowing are significant in many applications.
A home owner can free up time, reduce up front costs, keep the lawn at a cabin, second home, or rental property mowed without having to be there in person, reduce pollution, reduce noise, have their lawn mowed more frequently for aesthetic appeal with better turf health and quality, and minimize recurring costs associated with fuel and maintenance on traditional mowers. Many homes are set up ideally for a single mower to handle multiple properties that are adjacent or close to each other. When you have one mower taking care of multiple homes the benefits are even greater. With the initial upfront cost of a residential mower handling .75 - 2.5 acres usually between $2,000 and $4,000 these mowers make sense for a single home but when considering they are able to handle multiple properties with next to no additional expenses the proposition is even more attractive.
Municipalities, golf courses, airports, campgrounds, cemeteries, resorts, school districts, parks, athletic facilities, and other areas with significant areas of turf to maintain and mow can also benefit from automation in terms of mowing. We have models of autonomous lawn mowers designed to handle from less than an acre all the way to 30 acres in a relatively short time. While the costs with mowers able to handle 20-30 acres are in the tens of thousands of dollars the capabilities of them are immense. Nearly all of these individual units can be combined and work together with other units in harmony so it is quite easy to accommodate mowing needs to the hundreds of acres. Autonomous mowing doesn’t replace your maintenance staff, but it enables them to automate the most basic and time consuming parts of their days. Autonomous mowing doesn’t handle 100% of your mowing and maintenance needs but it can typically handle 80-90% of your mowing tasks in a manner that is very high quality and very efficient with next to no time from a person and very low recurring costs once things are set up. Mowing robotically with autonomous units allows for more frequent and stable maintenance of areas that were historically time consuming. Staff can focus on more technical aspects of turf care and property maintenance allowing them to do more with less and add value.
An often overlooked segment of the population that can benefit from implementing some level of automation in mowing are commercial lawn and landscaping contractors. Mowing grass is often the most basic function these companies perform and despite the relative simplicity of it, the time it takes is quite significant. Automation in mowing isn’t going to replace the need for a person but it is going to enable them to handle more customers and provide better results. Automation for a contractor who is mowing can be deployed on the most time consuming areas and easily handles obstacles that slow down traditional large scale mowing. Automated mowing can allow a contractor to mow much more frequently than manned mowing. By more frequent mowing long term you get stronger turf that is healthier and looks better.
By deploying some level of autonomous mowing a contractor can handle more customers and focus on higher end services that both residential and commercial customers demand - like fertilization, seasonal clean ups, trimming, edging, landscape refreshing, planting, aeration, and topdressing. When dealing with customers in a subdivision or HOA the potential to market to groups of property owners in a single location is great. Having a single autonomous mower, purchased at a wholesale rate by a contractor, mow multiple homes is very plausible and very attractive to your business model. Your customers will love autonomous mowing because it is consistent, offers more frequent mowing, quiet, doesn’t pollute, and produces tremendous results
We believe contractors benefit the most from deploying dedicated units to mow a property and leaving them on site. This differs from the traditional mindset of route based property maintenance and traveling with all equipment from job to job. While there is some potential in having an autonomous mower travel with a crew and perform mowing while a crew does ancillary tasks this requires a significant level of coordination and timing to be efficient and the units capable of this are significantly more expensive than dedicated units. One could purchase 25-50 dedicated residential units for the cost of a single commercial robotic mower designed to travel with a crew.
By having a dedicated unit at a property it is easy to offer mowing every 2-3 days and also very easy to set a single unit up to mow adjacent properties. By utilizing this strategy a contractor can now spend less time at each site when doing inspections, cleaning, trim, & edging only compared to having all mowing to complete. On site visits can typically be extended slightly also as the majority of mowing is done already and supporting services can be stretched out. Autonomous mowers are not the enemy of lawn and landscaping contractors, they are tools that can be utilized to improve efficiency, profitability, and quality as part of your operation. The technology is autonomous mowing is so good now you simply can’t afford to ignore it.
Dale Kleffman is the owner of LAWNAMATION, by Musson Landscaping. LAWNAMATION is a full service B2C and B2B in both retail and wholesale as a seller of autonomous robotic lawnmowers and is the exclusive distributor of Mammotion products in Michigan, Wisconsin, & Minnesota. Musson Landscaping operates as a full service lawn company and landscaping company operating out of Northern Wisconsin. LAWNAMATION provides sales, service, and customer support for Mammotion and other autonomous robotic mowing products throughout its territory. Dale can be reached a dalek@mussonlandscaping.com or 715-891-0419.
by admin | Apr 10, 2026 | Uncategorized
We field numerous questions from customers and prospective customers worried about someone stealing their mowers. While not an expert on all brands we can speak to what Mammotion does for their mowers and address our commercial mowers.
We can start with the commercial mowers - first off good luck with stealing one. These things are big and heavy, you’d need multiple people to even think about lifting or moving it and something pretty big to load it in to. It is going to be constantly reporting its location to its owner so any theft or attempted theft is going to be short lived. Our commercial mowers also have a pin required to access the app so even if it is a sophisticated thief they won’t have any luck. Additionally our anti theft system includes an instant alarm if the unit is lifted or moved outside of its designated operating area. Lastly the units provide immediate real time GPS tracking to its exact location.
Our residential mowers from Mammotion are tied to a master user, the person who originally bound the unit when it was new and just opened. Only the master user can remove themselves from this role through “unbinding” the unit. The only reason for this would be to transfer ownership or full authority over the mower to someone else. The master user can share access with anyone they want but if someone tries to access or use the robot they will be unable to. There is no way to over-ride this other than the master user voluntarily doing it so they will be carrying around a paperweight if they steal it. Additionally if the mower is on it will provide a user notification that it was taken outside of its operating area and provide its location to the master user on the app via wifi or 4g. There is a place in the Mammotion mowers to place an air tag or gps tag as well if that is desired for even more security.
We do place labels on mowers that advise any potential thief that the mower is useless to anyone other than its owner and reports its location to its owner for a passive deterrent also. We are fortunate that we have not had any issues with theft
