Why Positioning Decides the Product

A robot mower = positioning + planning + powertrain. Positioning accounts for 15–30% of BOM and directly determines coverage and UX. Three mainstream routes: RTK satellite, vision (camera + recognition), and RTK+vision fusion. Buried-wire systems are exiting the market (new models are essentially all wire-free).

Hard Numbers on the Three Routes

Positioning Route Comparison
AspectRTK onlyVision onlyRTK + Vision
Accuracycm-grade (2–5cm)10–30cm (environment-dependent)cm-grade + redundancy
Tree shadeSignal loss risk, needs IMU bridgingSatellite-independent, light-dependentComplementary, most robust
Rain/fogLargely unaffectedRecognition degradesRTK fallback
BoundaryVirtual geofencePhysical boundary recognitionDouble insurance
BOM delta+USD 42–84 (base+antenna)+USD 28–70 (camera+NPU)+USD 70–140
Algorithm difficultyMedium (mature modules)High (in-house models)Highest (fusion tuning)
FitMid (€800–1500)Mid-highFlagship (€2000+)

The European Mainstream: RTK Foundation

Europe is the largest market (highest penetration in DACH), with 300–2,000㎡ gardens and plenty of tree occlusion. 80%+ of new models since 2024 choose RTK foundation + vision obstacle assist: RTK for full-coverage planning, vision for close-range obstacles (pets, toys, hoses). Vision-only appears in cost-sensitive or small-lawn products.

Conclusion: below €1,500, RTK-only suffices; €2,000+ flagships should use RTK+vision fusion — matching what leading brands actually ship today.

Safety & Certification: EN 50636 Is a Hard Gate

Blades spin at 2,800–3,800rpm; Europe mandates EN 50636-2-107: lift e-stop (<100ms blade stop), tilt protection, proximity sensing. Safety logic must live in hardware (independent safety MCU) with firmware redundancy from day one — that’s what makes one-pass certification realistic.

  • Garden-tool brands: enter via RTK platforms reusing existing mechanical supply chains;
  • Vacuum brands crossing over: reuse motion & navigation foundations; invest in RTK calibration and safety compliance;
  • New brands/major sellers: adopt a mature full-machine platform (e.g., MJX’s RTK mower) and skip the 12–18-month in-house build.

FAQ

What if RTK base signals are blocked (tall buildings)?
Three options: ① NTRIP network RTK (CORS networks, no own base needed); ② vision/IMU bridging; ③ dual-base deployment. Mature providers run site surveys early in the project.
How much can be shared between mower and vacuum platforms?
About 40–50% of the foundation: RTOS, FOC drives, app framework, OTA. The upper layers diverge: RTK positioning, blade safety, lawn-specific algorithms. Clients doing both should pick a provider with dual-platform experience to amortize cost.