GPS Guided Mowing & Movement

Projects General Guidance
1

An older thread discussed GPS guided mowing. Rather than replying to that older post, I'm starting a new one (as the forum note suggested).

I see Husqvarna now makes a robot mower with GPS assisted navigation (http://www.husqvarna.com/uk/products/robotic-lawn-mowers/automower-330x/967168203).

I'm interested to know if anyone here has moved forward with adding GPS to their auto mowing solutions? Doesn't even have to be mowing, specifically. Any smart GPS guided movement solution applies here. Even if you haven't, I'm curious how Husq's GPS assist system might work. I'd like to brainstorm how a solution like that might work with Arduino GPS. Just what does 'assist' mean considering mowing?

Specifically in the mowing arena, I would like to "draw" a GPS fence/path to identify the boundary where my mower should operate. And, like the messages touched on in the previous thread, since 2015 GPS capabilities are up to the task, I'd like to know how to go about devising a specific mowing/movement pattern. Something different than 'random'. Anyone have thoughts on this or maybe someone's already doing something like this I can read about?

This is a fascinating subject.

2

I'm curious how Husq's GPS assist system might work.

From the product page:

An onboard GPS system creates a map of the garden, including where the boundary and guide wires are installed. Husqvarna Automower® will then register which parts of the garden it has covered and adjusts its mowing pattern accordingly.

The mapping part seems fairly simple, probably just a collection of GPS points. You might try to obtain the manual, but from that description it looks like you have to lay a lot of guide wires.

3

If you are going to provide the way points (something the Husqavarna system doesn't appear to need), you can define your own algorithm for covering the area bounded by the waypoints. Look at how CAM systems define tool paths. The same concept will apply. The only differences will be how big the cutter is (most NC systems do not have 24" cutters) and what radii can be used at the ends of the straight runs.

Of course, unless your yard is dead flat, you'll need some overlap between the paths to account for the curvature.