Robot lawnmower with lots of obstacles 5 April 2022 at 3:15PM in Greenfingered MoneySaving 8 replies 379 views

mightbedave

Hi, I was wondering if anyone has experience with robotic lawnmowers and how they deal with lots of obstacles like trees, swings and trampolines? I am considering getting a Flymo EasiLife Go 250 (when it comes down in price again) but am worried it will just get stuck or confused in my garden and not cut the whole lawn. Here's what my garden looks like:



Thanks in advance!

Silvertabby

Next door used to be in R&D, so they've have one of these for a while.  They fitted a containment wire round (just under) the edge of the lawn, and it was this wire that kept the mower in the right place, not 'things. Otherwise it would have been out the open gate and off into the wild blue yonder!  Never appealed to me, as it just nibbles the grass instead of cutting it properly.  But perhaps the newer ones are better, and have 'things' sensors instead of the wire.

ADD: Just had a look at your link, and that has a guide wire as well.  Not sure how that would work round so many obstacles. 

mightbedave

Silvertabby said:

ADD: Just had a look at your link, and that has a guide wire as well.  Not sure how that would work round so many obstacles. 

Thanks, I was planning to install the perimeter and guide wire as if it were an empty lawn and then let it detect/crash into the obstacles as it went round. I can't be doing with putting a wire around everything. 

twopenny

Everyone I've seen in operation is on an empty space. I love them! Just can't afford one.

Reading the first article I came to it seems they have a detection system. I can see problems with things like the slide fixing being small and thin it may not have it's detection noticing it. And you have a number of small thin bits on your 'things'

https://myrobotmower.com/how-does-a-robot-lawn-mower-deal-with-obstacles/

It's an expensive item, having it bumping and colliding a lot may not do it a lot of good and shorten it's life.

If you have ££££'s then the top of the range could probably cope.

I'd wait a couple of years and train the kids to mow the lawn

kazwookie

Get the local mowing company in, once a fortnight.

The robot will be damaged by bumping into things, what is under the trampoline? much / pebbles / wood chip, these also will damage it.

mightbedave

The robot will be damaged by bumping into things, what is under the trampoline? much / pebbles / wood chip, these also will damage it.

It was originally grass, now it's mainly large weeds.

mightbedave

twopenny said:

I'd wait a couple of years and train the kids to mow the lawn

  great idea but can't see it happening! 

twopenny

Early training

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Casdon-730-Flymo-Mower-Orange/dp/B07TYP4T4Q

jivram40

 Been running a Flymo 1200R robotic Lawnmower now for a few years with no trouble. If it comes up to a obstacle it senses ,stops and turns away. Have had no trouble with stones, most lawnmowers don't like stones. The only annoyance is the perimeter wire needs to be a distance inwards from the lawn edge so this will need cutting manually. Latest models seem to have a accessory housing available at extra cost,  I have to put mine away in the winter. A problem with Flymo is finding a service agent who will handle any problems with the machine mine needs new drive wheels and most in my aren't won't Husqvarna might be better, although they own  Flymo and the innards are the same they have been  ore helpful.