This page gives a quick explanation of the main differences between the different brands I offer, and the ranges within those brands. This will help you choose the right robot for your garden from the models available on the Robot Range products page.

The Brands:

• Segway Navimow: Most people originally knew Segway for their two wheel personal transportation devices. They have been producing robot mowers under their Navimow brand for a few years now, and are probably the market leaders in technical innovation at a competitive price. With the I and X Series models they have expanded their product range at either end of the market, and in the case of the i108E model offer incredible tech for the price point. 2026 sees the introduction of their first all-wheel-drive and LiDAR models.
• Mammotion LUBA: Introduced to the UK market in 2024 by the same distributor as Ambrogio, LUBAs also have high build quality and have exceeded the expectations of customers and suppliers alike. (Search for independent reviews). LUBA's main selling point over many other robots is their all-wheel-drive and sprung suspension features, meaning they can handle rougher terrain and steeper slopes.
  
• Mammotion YUKA: YUKAs are the 2-wheel-drive cousins of LUBAs, and share much of the same navigation technology. These are the most competitively-priced robots for their area coverage. The 2000 and 3000 models are also the only robots to have a leaf/lawn-debris collection capability as an optional extra.
• Ambrogio: non-RTK, non-camera robots. An option for lawns with unreliable satellite reception due to tree coverage, surrounding tall buildings, etc. Most models use the tried & tested method of buried perimeter wire to tell the robot where to stop, although the Twenty ZR EVO model works without wire, using other sensors such as radar to detect lawn edges and obstacles. I have been supplying Ambrogios since 2020 and they have been hugely popular for their robust build quality and reliability; I provide annual services for many of these and can vouch for their durability. Designed an made in Italy.
• FJ Dynamics: Well-established in agricultural robotic machinery, FJD has recently launched keenly-priced robot mowers for domestic settings. Best suited to larger lawns with long distances from one end to another, due to the long communication range between robot and RTK station.

All LUBAs - including Minis - are all-wheel-drive with sprung suspension, and so are much the better option for rougher ground and bumps.

What are the differences between the Navimow H and I Series?

• Since the end of 2024, both series come with cameras as standard.
• The H Series have bigger battery capacity and run for longer between recharges.

What is LiDAR Navigation in Robot Mowers?

LiDAR stands for Light Detection and Ranging. It’s a navigation method that relies on pulsed lasers.

A LiDAR sensor is mounted on the robotic lawnmower. It emits the laser beams and receives the bounced signals.

It throws a pulsed laser in a direction, and when it reverts back after hitting an object, the mower calculates the distance. Thus, it knows where the obstacle is.

Not only that, but it can also create a 3D map of the environment to help the mower understand everything around it. It can picture trees, flowerbeds, slides, and other obstacles. No matter how complex the lawn is, it works perfectly well.

What is NRTK Navigation in Robot Mowers?

NRTK stands for Network Real-time Kinematics. It’s the advanced version of RTK. Let’s understand RTK first to have a better understanding of NRTK.

RTK is satellite-based position technology. It is a high-precision technique to improve the standard GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems). The result of the standard GPS is accurate to 1-5 meters, while RTK achieves centimetre-level accuracy.

RTK relies on only one reference station. Its coverage area is limited, and its accuracy degrades as the distance between the station and the robot mower increases to 15km. Secondly, its reliability is dependent on electricity power and good satellite signals. 

NRTK is the improved version, as it works through multiple reference stations. It uses the CORS (Continuous Operating Reference Stations) network to mitigate the distance errors and failures. If one reference point fails, there are others to provide the positioning data. Secondly, because of multiple reference points, it can work in different locations as the distance never increases by more than 15km.

Thus, NRTK provides the mower with an absolute global position. With the help of this, the mower knows the boundaries of the lawn without needing physical wires. It’s perfect for the mower’s safety as well as mowing multiple zones.

Keep in mind that this navigation system is not for detecting obstacles. It only provides the mower’s location. For obstacle detection, the mower has to opt for Vision or LiDAR technology.

What is Vision Navigation in Robot Mowers?

Vision navigation is relatively simple to understand. It employs one or more high-resolution cameras to capture lawn imagery.

Once the images are captured, they are processed with an advanced AI or Machine Learning algorithm to detect obstacles in the environment and create a complete picture or map. It can easily distinguish between different kinds of obstacles, such as trees, pets, flowerbeds, etc. It interprets every corner and edge.

With this technology, an accurate map of the lawn is created in real-time. As the mower moves forward, it makes informed decisions according to the map. It knows where to stop and what to dodge.