Robot mower navigation chooser
The biggest decision in a robot mower isn't the brand — it's how it finds its way around. Wire, GPS, camera or a combination each suit very different gardens.
Wire, GPS, camera or a mix? Answer five quick questions and we'll recommend a navigation type — and the catalogue robots that use it.
Guidance reflects how each technology behaves: wire is the most weather/canopy-proof and cheapest but needs installing; RTK-GPS needs a clear sky; AI-vision copes under canopy but wants daylight; fusion combines them for the toughest gardens.
The four approaches in plain terms
- Boundary wire — a buried perimeter wire defines the lawn. Cheapest, most weather- and canopy-proof, and the most proven, but it's a one-time install and changing the lawn means moving wire.
- RTK-GPS — centimetre-accurate satellite positioning, wire-free. Needs a reasonably clear view of the sky; struggles deep under trees or beside tall buildings.
- AI vision — onboard cameras read the lawn edge, wire-free and unbothered by canopy, but it wants daylight and a visible grass/edge contrast.
- Sensor fusion — combines RTK with vision (and sometimes LiDAR) for the toughest large, sloped or partly-shaded gardens. The most capable and the most expensive.
Once you know the technology, filter robot mowers by it →