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TRENDS: ROBOTS & BATTERIES
On the commercial side, larger zero-turn mowers equipped with software from Greenzie, or more industrial models like those from RC Mowers, are growing autonomous business for early-adopter landscaping businesses, sportsfield managers and municipalities.
Kress is introducing two new robotic mowers – one now and one“ coming soon” – in an attempt to further advance robotization for professional users. The KR 800 Cut and Go mower is coming to market first. It’ s a 40-in. machine that landscape pros can use on multiple job sites. It will be ready for sale in the spring of 2026. The company showed one image of a larger 60-in. autonomous mower, model KR 804, whose availability timing is to be announced.
Though it’ s early in the cycle for both mowers, Kress was eager to talk about the business opportunities for robotic mowers at the commercial level. The company has existing, residential focused robotic mowers intended to live and work in one location. Their unique-inthe-market focus is satellite-enabled control that does not require an on-site antenna.
Location accuracy and safety are main focus points for Kress. The new robotic mowers use 360-degree vision.“ Whatever technology is on cars right now is on this mower,” said Don Gao.“ For accuracy, we are talking about 1 or 2 centimeters, where others are talking about decimeters. We need the accuracy for safety reasons.”
( L to R) Carlos Teles, Joe Langton, Todd Reinhart.
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Mapping the new KR 800 is done on the machine with this control panel.
Robots at work today
“ The reason I started with robots was a request by a client who spent three months of the year on his property vacationing,” said Carlos Teles, who owns Teles Landscaping, serving properties on Martha’ s Vineyard.“ The client asked me to explore robotic mowers to help maintain his 10 acres of manicured lawn. Husqvarna mowers with the boundary wires were the ones widely available at the time. But the boundary wires kept getting cut with other landscaping work.”
When a local dealer took on Kress robotic mowers, he called Teles to have him take a look. Teles was happy with the results,“ and with the technology on the Kress, I can control the height, the mowing pattern, the time I want the robot to go. I can set everything from my phone.”
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The labor opportunity
Robotic mowing presents a shift in the landscape business model.“ The biggest obstacle to robotics is the resistance of companies to change procedures,” said Joe Langton.“ Automation was a way for me to incentivize crews to go from three
12 OPE + April 2025 www. OPE-Plus. com