Like with many of the best robot vacuums, one of the first tasks anyone with a robot lawnmower needs to do is make sure that their yard is clear of obstacles, so that they don't get ground up or run over when the lawnmower is making its rounds.
Segway's new Navimow i Series could fix that; like other wire-free robot lawnmowers, it uses RTK positioning — which uses a small base station to help adjust for any GPS errors — to navigate their way around your yard. However, it also has an updated vision system that not only lets the robot continue to work if it can't pick up a GPS signal, but can also recognize and avoid objects in your yard.
Here's what we know about the new robot lawnmower, which is due to arrive early this year.
Segway currently has three robot lawnmowers in the U.S. market: The Navimow H800N-VF ($1,899 on Amazon), which can cover up to 0.2 acres; the Navimow H1500N-VF ($2,199 on Amazon), which can tackle yards up to 0.37 acres; and the Navimow H3000N-VF ($2,599 on Amazon), good for yards up to three quarters of an acre.
The new i Series line is projected to be less expensive, as it's meant for smaller yards and can only handle inclines of up to 30. However, it does have vision-enhanced RTK positioning; when the mower is in open space, it will rely primarily on GPS, but when it goes under tree cover, it will lean more heavily on its vision system to avoid objects.
This potentially overcomes one of the biggest issues with GPS-based robot lawnmowers, as the few models available have required a clear line of sight to the sky. Segway says it will also be more effective for smaller yards, or where there's a greater potential for the signal from the tower to the lawnmower to be blocked.
The i Series' VisionFence feature can detect more than 20 obstacles, including trees, curbs, running children, and small animals. So your cat should be safe.
In addition, the Navimow app uses AI to help map your property, so it can automatically detect borders and edges. Like most other robot lawnmower apps, you will also be able to set up a mowing schedule, create cutting patterns, and customize edge mowing.
Pricing has not yet been announced, but Segway will release two models: the i105 and the i110.
Segway Navimow outlook
Could 2024 be the year of the robot lawnmower? One key feature of Segway's models is that none of them rely on a boundary wire. To date, only a few other models, such as the Husqvarna Automower 450XH EPOS, have a comparable navigation system, and most — like Husqvarna's — are ridiculously expensive. The 450XH, for example, costs $5,900. You can buy a lot of lawn service for that. However, if the i Series comes in at around $1,000, I can see it becoming much more tempting for those who don't want to mow their lawns.
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