Tag Archive for: Automower

Wroxham’s Husqvarna Automower

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Wroxham’s Husqvarna Automower: Based in the Norfolk Broads, semi-professional football club, Wroxham FC, has swapped hours of manual labour for eco-smart autonomous mowing, to help the club maintain its vast Trafford Park pitch. In just three months, the club has noticed a significant increase in turf quality, and credits Husqvarna Automower® for the change.

Following long hours spent maintaining the pitch, the Wroxham FC team, following a recommendation from agricultural construction and machinery dealer, Ernest Doe, liaised with robotic mowing founders, Husqvarna, and set up a trial using the brand’s Automower® 550 models.

Wroxham's Husqvarna Automower

Wroxham’s Husqvarna Automower

Relying heavily on volunteers from the club, Wroxham’s pitch previously took ten hours of manual labour to mow each time, something which was a big undertaking for the team. Turning to the help of Automower®, the club looked to free up time, save financial resource, create a healthier pitch, and do their part to help the environment. In June 2021, two Automower® 550 models were installed using Automower® Club Solution, to help the team tackle the challenges they were facing.

Barry Letten, committee member at Wroxham FC discussed the club’s move to autonomous mowing: “Following the club’s initial meeting with Husqvarna and Ernest Doe, there was no doubt in our minds that we wanted to test out the Automower® technology, and in just three short months, we’ve already seen some exceptional results.

“To maintain the quality of the pitch we’d regularly spend 10 hours at a time mowing and having to rely on volunteers to do it was a big ask. Automower® has saved us countless hours and has allowed us to redeploy resource on more important and skilful tasks around the club, without having to sacrifice on turf quality.

“We use the Automower® Connect app to control the mowers, which has been absolutely brilliant and has enabled me to track what they’re doing and send them out to mow whenever we want. Better yet, I’m able to do it from the comfort of my sitting room, without the need to make a 20-mile round trip.”

Ever since the first Automower® was introduced in 1995, Husqvarna has been known as the world leader in robotic mowing. With over 2 million sold worldwide, Automower® is renowned for its low energy consumption, zero emissions, low noise and high productivity, whilst featuring the ability to withstand a busy match schedule and hours of intense training.

As Automower® cuts the grass every day, the impact on the turf and ground is minimal. The very small, quick-composting clippings provide a constant source of fertilisation and moisture, creating greener and denser turf, which increases the pitch’s ability to withstand a busy match schedule and hours of intense training. Research also shows that the constant cutting allows grass roots to grow 25% deeper, resulting in a healthier and stronger pitch.

Barry continued: “The two mowers were set up using Husqvarna Automower® Club Solution, which allows the two 550 models to work simultaneously alongside each other, enabling faster mowing. The technology also eliminates the need for a boundary wire placed in the middle of the pitch, which allows us to aerate the turf without any worries of damaging wires.

“In addition to ease of use, the Automower® models have been great for the club, both financially and environmentally. In previous years we would have to budget for fuel, which is not an issue with the battery powered Automower®. This in turn has helped our green agenda by reducing our CO2 emissions.

“Husqvarna Automower® has completely opened our eyes to the possibilities of autonomous mowing, and it would now be difficult to imagine going without. The whole process has been a complete breeze, from the seamless setup which took no time at all, to the Automower® Connect app which allows us to control the mower from the tips of our fingers, it’s been a brilliant process.

“It’s not just the Wroxham Committee which has noticed the difference, players and supporters alike have commented on the quality of the turf, with some even turning to Twitter to express their delight. We look forward to the upcoming months with Automower® and enjoying the results which it consistently provides.”

For more information on Husqvarna Automower®, visit: https://www.husqvarna.com/uk/products/robotic-lawn-mowers/

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Aylesbury Vale Dynamos score with Automower

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Aylesbury Vale Dynamos score with Automower: With a large football pitch to maintain, Aylesbury Vale Dynamos, with 32 teams under its belt, has turned its attention to autonomous mowing, to help the growing club maintain its vast football pitch. Crediting Husqvarna Automower® Club Solution, the club has noted great benefits of Automower®, in just three months.

With a stadium pitch to maintain, the Aylesbury Vale Dynamos team and its chairman, Mike Borrett, discussed moving to Husqvarna Automower® Club Solution, following a recommendation from Farol Ltd, which is a specialist dealer with a dedicated Automower® sales and installation team. Their recommendation would allow two Automower® 550 to work simultaneously alongside each other, now using just one boundary wire.

Aylesbury Vale Dynamos score with Automower

Aylesbury Vale Dynamos score with Automower

With a pitch and stadium to maintain, Aylesbury Vale Dynamos relies heavily on volunteers to help run and sustain the club, which has always brought about its own set of challenges, including limited time, resource and finance. Thanks to their two Automower® 550 and the use of Automower® Club Solution, installed in April 2021, the football club has been able to combat many of their previous challenges.

Mike Borrett, chairman of Aylesbury Vale Dynamos, discussed the club’s switch to Automower®: “Making the move to Automower® has been a brilliant decision for the club, that has paid off multiple times over. Following discussions with Husqvarna and our Automower® dealer, Farol Ltd, it quickly became evident that Automower® Club Solution could solve many of the challenges we were facing.

“Like many football clubs, we rely heavily on the assistance of volunteers to maintain our grounds and stadium. We’re incredibly grateful to all our volunteers, but it does provide its own set of challenges. Whether it’s raining or beaming with sunshine, the grass requires twice-weekly cutting, and if no one is able to do it, we end up with grass that’s too long and debris on the pitch, both of which cause problems when the teams go out to play.

“Thanks to Automower® we’re able to redeploy our volunteers to more skilful tasks, saving ourselves hours of time each week, and with Automower® being battery powered, we’ve also been able to eliminate the need for petrol, which has been great for reducing our CO2 emissions, and the club’s finances.”

Ever since the first Automower® was introduced in 1995, Husqvarna has been known as the world leader in robotic mowing. With over 2 million sold worldwide, Automower® is renowned for its low energy consumption, zero emissions, low noise and high productivity, whilst featuring the ability to withstand a busy match schedule and hours of intense training.

As Automower® cuts the grass every day, the impact on the turf and ground is minimal. The very small, quick-composting clippings provide a constant source of fertilisation and moisture, creating greener and denser turf. Research also shows that the constant cutting allows grass roots to grow 25% deeper, resulting in a healthier and stronger pitch.

Mike discussed the club’s use of Club Solution: “Automower® Club Solution has continuously impressed us with its innovation. The system has allowed our two 550 mowers to be used simultaneously on one pitch, without wires intersecting the playing surface.”

With Automower® Club Solution, two or three mowers are able to mow the pitch simultaneously, with only a single boundary wire outside the playing surface, eliminating the risk of a damaged boundary wire during turf treatment such as aeration or scarification.

Mike continued: “In just three months we can already see the difference Automower® has made to our turf quality, with turf professionals even commenting that they can’t believe how well and healthy the grass looks.

“Thanks to the Automower® Connect app we’re able to control the mowers no matter where we are, which is a great benefit when the weather isn’t pleasant or when we’re away from the stadium. From the app we’re able to programme them to park at the side of the stadium when a match is on and redeploy once it’s finished.

“The Dynamo’s team are big fans of the mowers, naming them ‘Dyna’ and ‘Mo’, and the fans are even more so. Each match spectators ask us about them, and we can’t blame them, they really are fascinating, and we can’t imagine switching back to manual stadium mowing.”

For more information on Husqvarna Automower®, visit: https://www.husqvarna.com/uk/products/robotic-lawn-mowers/

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Lypiatt Park credits Husqvarna Automower

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Lypiatt Park credits Husqvarna Automower: Based in Gloucestershire near Stroud, Lypiatt Park is a stately home which boasts historic buildings dating back to the 14th century. Surrounded by ten acres of formal gardens, the private estate is maintained by Husqvarna Automower® robotic lawnmowers.

Homeowner of Lypiatt Park and internationally renowned artist, Daniel Chadwick, credits his four Husqvarna 550 Automower® for keeping the estate’s lawns in immaculate condition all year round.

Lypiatt Park credits Husqvarna Automower

Lypiatt Park credits Husqvarna Automower

Daniel first invested in Automower® using Husqvarna dealer, Tallis Amos Group, after finding the cost of maintaining his ten acres of greenspace with manual lawnmowers to be expensive, costing hundreds of pounds per week. With Automower®, the groundsmen of Lypiatt Park have saved hours of time and have been freed up to focus on more important and beneficial tasks around the grounds of the estate.

Daniel discussed the benefits: “There have been many advantages of Automower®, some that I wasn’t even expecting. I have sensitive hearing and can find the sound of regular lawnmowers extremely intrusive, especially here on the estate where they were often used twice a day.

“The differences we’ve experienced between our previous lawnmowers and our four Automower® 550 models are astounding. Automower® works on the grounds extremely quietly, quickly and efficiently, without the need for human interference which is brilliant.”

The lawns of Lypiatt Park feature a variety of complex shapes, but thanks to the GPS tracked Husqvarna Automower® 550 models, the robotic lawnmowers are able to manoeuvre accurately and efficiently around the entire formal garden area with ease, navigating narrow passages, obstacles and handling slopes of up to 45%. Furthermore, as a result of the mower’s lightweight features, no visible track marks are left, ensuring a carpet-like appearance.

Featuring GPS theft tracking via a PC/Tablet, as well as a high-pitch alarm which starts when moved and can only be deactivated with the mower’s unique pin code, extra security is provided with the Automower® models.

Lypiatt Park credits Husqvarna Automower

Lypiatt Park credits Husqvarna Automower

Daniel commented on his move to Automower®: “After an initial consultation, Tallis Amos Group installed our first mower, and provided technical support throughout and after. The set-up process ran very smoothly, and within just a few weeks our lawns looked better than ever. After seeing the results of our first Automower®, we were confident in investing in three more to cover all lawns surrounding Lypiatt Park.

“Each robotic mower has its own specific zone to cover, and they are able to work night and day if we wished. Even though there’s a wide mix of obstacles on our lawns, they don’t seem to bother Automower® at all. Thanks to their on-board sensors which detect potential objects, Automower® steers itself to avoid collision.”

As an artist, Daniel has a passion for design and applauds Automower®, stating: “As a designer inventor and artist, I really appreciate the design of the Automower®, it’s perfectly optimised. It’s the right weight, it does precisely what they say it will do, it is totally reliable, easy to maintain and is very well made. Every couple of months I might have to change or rotate the blades – which is a very simple operation, but apart from that, we just let them get on with their job and rarely have to do anything with them. The machines really are fantastic.”

For more information on Husqvarna Automower®, visit: https://www.husqvarna.com/uk/products/robotic-lawn-mowers/

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New Automower® offers productivity and flexibility

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New Automower® offers productivity and flexibility: Last year, Husqvarna announced its new virtual boundary technology EPOS and that the company was going to pilot test it on selected markets. After successful testing during the spring and summer, the first ever Husqvarna robotic mower with virtual boundary technology, Husqvarna Automower® 550 EPOS, will now be launched.

Husqvarna – global leader in robotic lawnmowing – is now, after months of thorough testing internally and with customers, launching the new high capacity Husqvarna Automower® 550 EPOS robotic mower. Its satellite-based virtual boundary solution offers new levels of flexibility, convenience and performance for areas up to 5,000 m2.

New Automower® offers productivity and flexibility

New Automower® offers productivity and flexibility

The pilot of the Husqvarna Automower® 550 EPOS robotic mower with virtual boundary technology included 100 robotic mowers in four countries. It was, for example, tested at Royal Djurgården in Stockholm, the Ullevi Stadium in Göteborg, Munich Airport, La Seine Musicale in Paris and at a baseball stadium in New York.

Gunnar Björkman, Park Manager at Royal Djurgården, a park with more than 15 million visitors each year, tested the Husqvarna Automower® 550 EPOS robotic mower during the spring and summer. He said: “The main benefits we saw from testing the Husqvarna 550 EPOS robotic mower was the easy installation and the flexible area management which allowed us to create temporary stay out zones when lawns were being used for events or closed off for other reasons. With robotics using virtual boundaries we can use robotics for 75% of our mowing, compared to 25% previously.”

At the “Planten un Blomen” park in Hamburg, a Husqvarna Automower® 550 EPOS robotic mower was installed in collaboration with Elbgarden OHG on a demanding public area of 1,200 m2. The test area is located in direct connection to a footpath and an artificial lake, where events such as the music-accompanied water light games take place. Matthias Olinski, head of the “Planten un Blomen” park in Hamburg, was impressed by the performance and flexibility of Husqvarna Automower® 550 EPOS.

He said: “It offers many advantages over conventional mowing technology, especially in terms of flexibility. We no longer have to plan whether we have enough staff for mowing. This offers more time for other work like grooming or bed care. Via the app, we can manage when the robotic lawnmower should run or pause. During organised events, for example, we can easily adapt the mowing work to the respective situation – very practical and user-friendly.”

Husqvarna’s virtual boundary EPOS technology is a high-precision satellite navigation system that delivers an accuracy of 2-3 centimetres, giving the user a new level of flexibility and offers a robust and flexible installation on areas with an open sky.  The virtual boundaries also enable aerating and scarifying without breaking physical wires and the user can change boundaries and transport paths from their phone. With the Precise Area Management feature, several work areas can be defined with different timers and settings, including cutting height. It also makes it possible to create temporary stay out zones.

Kevin Ashmore, UK Manager of Husqvarna Professional commented: “We are extremely proud to bring the new Husqvarna Automower® 550 EPOS robotic mower to the market. Utilising Husqvarna’s EPOS technology, it offers a sustainable and cost-efficient solution that simplifies maintaining large green spaces. Being battery powered it emits no fumes and the light weight of the mower and low electric energy consumption reduce its carbon footprint.”

Operating with low noise levels, it is suitable for environments that require some degree of noise control – for example at golf courses, football stadiums or in urban areas such as city parks. For a convenient user interaction, as well as easy maintenance and handling, it is possible to monitor and control Husqvarna Automower® 550 EPOS through the Automower® Connect and Husqvarna Fleet Services™ apps.

Husqvarna Automower® 550 EPOS will be available from May 2021 and costs £5,199 inc. VAT for the unit and £1,099 inc. VAT for the reference station. The reference station can serve multiple machines.

For more information, visit the Husqvarna website: https://www.husqvarna.com/uk/lawn-garden/professional/professional-robotic-mowers/epos/

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Husqvarna Automower® at the Tower of London

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Husqvarna Automower® at the Tower of London: Husqvarna Automower® has been tasked with a very special assignment, keeping the lawns at the Tower of London in tip top condition.

As reported this week in the Evening Standard, Husqvarna Automower® has been deployed at the Tower of London to ensure the capital’s oldest lawns are well maintained as we head in to spring.

Husqvarna Automower® at the Tower of London

Husqvarna Automower® at the Tower of London

The first battery powered machine was installed last year, and due to its success, its fleet was expanded earlier this year to include three new residents.

Purchased by The Tower of London’s Ground’s maintenance contractor, Ground Control, two Husqvarna Automower® have been installed on the lawns surrounding the castle moat, and will be deployed each morning, come rain or shine.

Husqvarna Automower® 535 AWD has also been installed on the lawn of the White Tower and will work throughout the night to avoid disturbing the resident ravens. The AI-enabled robotic mower has been designed with all-wheel drive and can manage rough terrain and slopes with an incline of up to 70%.

Made in the UK, the robotic mowers will replace the ride-on diesel mowers previously used by Ground Control.

They will provide head gardener, David Williams, with a more environmentally friendly way of keeping the prestigious lawns in outstanding condition and contributes to Ground Control’s Green strategy of 50% of all of hand tools being battery operated by 2025.

They also produce less noise than regular mowers and have the ability to work day or night, rain or shine. The machines are environmentally friendly and are controlled via the Husqvarna Fleet Services and Connect app.

Husqvarna UK Professional Manager, Kevin Ashmore said: “It’s fantastic for us to showcase Husqvarna Automower® at such a prestigious and prominent attraction in our country’s capital. Lee Squires, David and his team will see huge benefits from the installation, not only environmental but in time saving, allowing his team to spend their time on other tasks.”

To mark the installation, the Tower of London has challenged followers to name their new resident. To put your suggestion forward, visit the Tower of London’s Twitter page.  

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