Do Robotic Mowers Work on Hills and Rough Terrain?


Robotic lawn mowers are a fantastic time-saver, and they are the most simple way to deal with a large lawn that requires a lot of maintenance, but what if your garden includes areas of rugged terrain, hills, or even areas of no lawn at all that the mower must navigate? Can robotic mowers work on these types of lawns?

Robotic mowers do work on hills and rough terrain. There are limits to where robotic mowers can mow effectively, but most mowers are designed with inclines, slopes, ditches, patchy earth, and difficult terrain in mind. Robotic mowers are equipped to handle tough terrain.

This may be a serious concern for someone who wants to buy a robotic lawn mower.

If the mower is incapable of mowing the entire lawn, the entire mower becomes less worthwhile than employing a gardener to maintain the lawn.

Can a robotic mower work on hills, rough terrain, uneven lawns, and areas where there is no lawn at all? Well, the answer is somewhat complicated.

Do Robotic Mowers Work On Rough Terrain?

lawn mower on terrain

The very first question that a person finds themselves asking when they have found a robotic lawn mower to buy is whether or not the mower will work on rough terrain?

Most people have some form of rougher ground in their lawn or garden, and if the mower cannot function in these areas, it is not worth purchasing.

The truth is that rough terrain, along with hills, uneven lawns, and other garden hazards, used to be detrimental to robotic mower function.

In years gone by, most robotic mowers would be rendered useless by a patch of rough ground, but manufacturers have spent years and many resources on research and development on improving the performance and functionality of these machines.

Modern robot lawn mowers, especially the high-end models, can handle rough terrain without any hindrances whatsoever.

Modern high-end robotic mowers are equipped with independent suspension on each wheel, in-wheel motors, high-traction wheels, or tires, and the motors that move these machines have plenty of power to handle rugged terrain.

Modern robotic mowers can handle areas of rough terrain with ease. If your lawn has some rough patches, you can rest assured that the mower you have chosen will be able to handle them without damage or hindrance.

Do Robotic Mowers Work On Hills?

Hills are a very common obstacle in yards, which means that robotic mowers must be able to climb and descend hills while cutting the lawn well, and this must not have a significant decrease in mower performance.

This was another issue that plagued robotic mowers of the past, as many of these machined would be rendered useless by a small hill, but modern mowers have overcome these challenges entirely.

Modern mowers of all levels are built with more than enough power and torque to handle hills, and good quality robotic mowers are even built to handle inclines as steep as 70°, in both ascending and descending.

Most modern mowers have sufficient power and torque to handle these types of inclines, and they are equipped with the wheels and tires to traverse this terrain without slipping or losing traction and without sliding forwards or backward.

This means that modern robotic mowers are as effective for cutting the lawn on flat ground as they are for cutting the lawn on steep hills.

The only lingering issue is that a lawn with many hills will drain the battery of the mower more quickly, as traversing the terrain will require more energy.

Less-powerful or cheap robotic mowers may have trouble with steep hills, but all mowers of this kind should be able to handle some degree of incline and remain functional.

Do Robotic Mowers Work On Uneven Lawns?

Uneven lawns are not the same as a lawn with slopes or inclines. An uneven lawn is one that has several hollows, patches, gaps, dips, drops, bumps, or other obstacles that can contribute to it being uneven. Can robotic lawn mowers handle this type of lawn as well?

In the same way that modern robotic mowers are capable of handling rough terrain and hills, they are capable of working on uneven lawns as well. An uneven lawn presents several unique challenges because the mower that is charged with keeping the lawn trimmed must be adaptable and able to get itself unstuck if necessary.

Tackling an uneven law is no challenge for modern robotic mowers. They have all the power necessary to move over and through hazards, bumps, dips, drops, or holes, and if any obstacle is too much for the machine to handle, they are well equipped to easily navigate around the object.

There is almost no terrain found in average gardens that a modern, good-quality robot lawn mower cannot handle.

Uneven lawns and mowing surfaces are easily accounted for in these machines by active and independent suspension, adjustable cutting blades, adjustable drive height, power, torque, and intelligent features that allow these machines to navigate uneven terrain with ease.

Some entry-level robotic mowers may have some trouble on particularly uneven ground, or they may not have the power or intelligent features to navigate the terrain well, but this is not common in modern mowers of this kind.

Do All Robotic Mowers Work Well On Hills And Rough Terrain?

We have established that robotic mowers can traverse all kinds of rougher terrains, slopes, and inclines, but can robotic mowers still cut grass well on this type of terrain? Does the terrain that a mower is navigating affect its ability to trim grass?

Modern robotic mowers are able to traverse most types of terrain found in lawns, and the reality is that the types of ground the mower is crossing will affect its ability to trim lawn.

If the terrain has significant gaps or drips that are too small or narrow for the cutting blades to enter, those areas will go uncut. Any areas within the terrain that the cutting blades of the mower are unable to reach or any area where the mower cannot fit into or around will remain uncut.

However, this does not mean that a mower operating over rugged terrain or inclines will cut lawn poorly. Anywhere that the mower can reach will be cut as effectively as the mower will cut on flat ground.

This is true for all robotic mowers, as the blades that these machines use are adjustable on different planes, and they are able to trim lawn wherever the mower is designed to go.

Mowing on challenging terrain does not impede the mowers’ ability to mow.

Conclusion

Robotic lawn mowers save significant time and effort, but they are only useful where the mower can effectively mow. If your yard features terrain that a mower will not be able to traverse, then using a robot lawn mower is not the lawn solution for you.

However, if your yard features hills, mildly rugged turf and terrain, or an uneven lawn, most robotic lawn mowers should be able to tackle the task without much trouble.

Be sure to find the right mower for the type and size of your lawn, and it will be able to trim all the grass that it can reach with ease.

References

https://autmow.com/its-all-downhill-from-here-husqvarna-and-hills/

Jason S

Meet Jason S., the gardening expert that everyone is talking about. With more than 20 years of experience in landscaping and horticulture, Jason is passionate about helping others create beautiful outdoor spaces. From choosing the right plants to understanding best practices for caring for them, he has the skills and knowledge to help you get the most from your garden. Follow him for advice on everything from soil preparation to proper watering techniques so you can turn your green space into a vibrant oasis!

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