TECHNOLOGY
people differently . This is about labor supplementation . A landscape company may have a head count budget of 10 people , but they can find only six to do the work today . I ’ ve been in this industry a long time ; we never sit in meetings and talk about an abundance of people .”
“ The ROI is a lot shorter than people think ,” said Jake Vollbeer , national sales manager for Echo robotics . “ Our robotic mower creates more value with current personnel resources , and with lower input costs – less water , less fertilizer , no gas .”
Still , “ robots are not there to replace a worker ,” said Benjamin Houssa , vice president of robotics for Echo . “ You still need people nearby , still need a crew , and you still need a dealer close to the end user .”
This can give you time to do more work , elevate your business and compete with unique products and better service .
Landscapers can measure the ROI in productivity . “ When you don ’ t have a chance to weed flower beds because it rained or you ’ re short on staff and you fell behind , that ’ s your opportunity to use an autonomous mower ,” said Steve Uljua , sr . outdoor robotics manager for Kress . “ This can give you time to do more work , elevate your business and compete with unique products and better service .”
Better grass
I first heard the “ better grass ” story from a University of Georgia research scientist ( and it ’ s easy to find similar documentation online ) who showed that robotic mowers improve grass health . Through a monthslong study , they cut side-by-side with regular mowers and robotic mowers . The robots “ maintain ” more than cut grass , making frequent passes that remove less of the leaf material . That practice reduces stress on the grass , and the smaller clippings more easily decompose back into the soil .
A landowner will also need to water less frequently . Uljua points to studies that show using robotic mowers can reduce water usage by 35 %. That can be a big bonus in drier climates like the southwest . “ But it ’ s not as big a deal on the East Coast ,” said Uljua . “ When I talk to those people , I point to university studies showing that your grass is just as good with less fertilization .”
Echo makes robotic mowers and range-ball pickers for golf courses and large sports fields , and they use tiny little blades ( top photo ).
Always improving
Robotic mowers are mechanical devices with wheels and motors and spinning blades ; things will break and they ’ ll need service , just like on a traditional mower . Robots are also software-enabled devices that can be improved remotely . “ We have users who say to us , ‘ Wow the mower seems to be operating better and better ,’” said
22 OPE + September 2024 www . OPE-Plus . com