The Future of Robotic Lawn Mowers has Arrived
Robotic lawn mowers are nothing new. They have been around for a several years now, haphazardly roaming the lawn and getting the job done. Once considered a novelty, is it time to start looking at the robotic lawn mowers as a necessity?
This is the LUBA AWD 5000 from Mammotion and is their flagship perimeter wire free robotic mower, and they sent me one to answer this question.
The first thing that comes to mind is that this is not your garden variety robot mower. This cannot be more evident based on the design. Inspired by F1, the design is sleek and refined. I also get a bit of a Tumbler vibe when looking at it from behind. However, there is one thing that this design does not give off, and that is fragility, commonly seen in other robotic lawn mowers in this category.
Powered by 4 Hub motors, the LUBA AWD 5000 can easily traverse uneven or rough terrain and can climb up to a 75% slope (37°) Giving an advantage over 2WD models. A front suspension allows the LUBA AWD 5000 to easily conform to the terrain, giving a precise cut that is adjustable between 30 and 70mm.
What makes the Luba AWD 5000 different is not having the requirement of a perimeter wire. Traditional robotic lawn mowers require you to bury several hundred feet of wire provide a boundary of where the mower should and should not mow.
The Luba AWD 5000 utilizes a GPS antenna that connects to up to 4 global navigation systems and gives precise positioning with 2cm of accuracy. This antenna covers up to 20,000 square meters (about 1.25 acres) and the Luba AWD 5000 allows for up to 10 separate mowing zones.
In addition to the mower itself, the Luba AWD 5000 comes with the base station, the power cord and extension, The RTK Antenna along with a separate power supply and 10 meter extension cable, and a mounting pole for the RTK.
Also available is the Luba Garage that provides additional protection from the elements, the F1 Sticker pack that enhances the design, a wall mount for the RTK, and a 3 pack of extra blades.
Since there are no perimeter wires to deal with, the setup of the Luba is extremely easy. I will admit that when I first opened everything, I was a bit overwhelmed with the task at hand, but I was able to get everything installed and configured and in less than an hour, I was mowing!
First, we need to determine the location of the base station. The power cable with extension is around 10m in length and gives plenty of options on where to place the base station.
Next up is the RTK and the placement of this is important. Make sure that this is place in an area free of obstructions from above and as high as possible. This will give you the best GPS reception to ensure your lawn is getting the best possible cut. The RTK can be connected directly into the base station or powered independently with the separate power supply.
With the hardware install completed, now its time to connect the app. Simply download the Mammotion app from either the Google Play Store or the App Store on iOS devices.