this post was submitted on 24 Aug 2025
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OpenMower: Let's upgrade cheap off-the-shelf robotic mowers to modern, smart RTK GPS based lawn mowing robots! (github.com)
submitted 16 hours ago by Pro@programming.dev to c/technology@lemmy.world
21 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

cross-posted from: https://programming.dev/post/36230046

YouTube Video.

Let's be honest: The current generation of robotic lawn mowers sucks. Basically all of these bots drive in a random direction until they hit the border of the lawn, rotate for a randomized duration and repeat. I think we can do better!

Therefore, we have disassembled the cheapest off-the-shelf robotic mower we could find (YardForce Classic 500) and were surprised that the hardware itself is actually quite decent:

  • Geared sensored brushless motors for the wheels
  • A sensored brushless motor for the mower motor itself
  • The whole construction seems robust, waterproof and all in all thought through
  • All components are connected using standard connectors, therefore upgrading the hardware is easily possible.

The bottom line is: The bot itself is surprisingly high quality and doesn't need to be changed at all. We just need some better software in there.

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[–] Decq@lemmy.world 4 points 14 hours ago (2 children)

Hasn't this problem long been solved in roomba's? Mine is about 8 years old and it doesn't go around randomly. I assumed all new models don't do that anymore, except for some very cheap off brand vacuum robots.

[–] DrunkenPirate@feddit.org 1 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

You can’t compare indoors and outdoors directly. I think random has its means in an uneven environment. It simply doesn’t matter if the odometry sucks, if the wheels stick in muddy earth or small sticks block on side.

Advanced sensors such as GPS and cam isn’t very precise outdoors. That’s why newer models come with its own positioning sender.

[–] Decq@lemmy.world 1 points 5 hours ago

I was mostly talking about roombas/indoor. For outdoors you have GPS with RTK which most mowers use that work without a boundary wire, afaik.

[–] MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip 8 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

I mean the open firmware. And mine is older.

[–] Decq@lemmy.world 1 points 5 hours ago

Yes that would be nice to have. Sadly when I bought my Roomba I didn't care too much about that. My next one will be hackable though.