My Automated Mower Project

ArduRover Rover 4.5
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Thanks to everyone who posts here. I’ve done a lot of reading and have most of my hardware.

The target is a 5ha (11acre) Paragliding Landing Paddock. It needs about 7-8 mows/year. It’s hard to justify a lot of $$$$

I saw the link from @Dave_Smith1 to this Mower and it’s on the way.

Alibaba65a1779b265c49e94f1e61472d9feda7_original
Alibaba65a1779b265c49e94f1e61472d9feda7_original523×697 54.8 KB

Using an old laptop to run:

  • Mission Planner
  • Pixhawk 6C
  • Holybro F9P GPS (Fixed Base plus 2 for GPS Yaw)
  • Sik Telemetry Radios, and
  • Lots of plugs/wire etc

Thanks to @Yuri_Rage for his recent videos and responses.

I’ll keep you updated as it happens.

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Still waiting on the mower. It’s on a ship somewhere.

Thanks to @Yuri_Rage I’ve got the Fixed Base working over TCP. Currently using a repurposed RPi 4 Model B. A RPi Zero 2W is on its way. I plan to power it using a 10,000 mAH battery power bank with USB-C output (5V@3A).

Powered up the Flight Controller and took it for a walk around the backyard. It seems to know where it us and which way it’s facing.

Mission Planner Screenshot (Small)
Mission Planner Screenshot (Small)854×452 360 KB

All that feels like a bit of a win so far :slight_smile:

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RTK Connections
RTK Connections1737×877 202 KB

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My Mower arrived unannounced.

Arrival
Arrival800×742 266 KB

Just one thing - somehow they managed to get it past my veranda posts. Took me 3 hours and 2 jacks to get it off the veranda and onto my trailer.

Technically, I think it’s called a brush cutter - the deck is not easily adjustable and fixed. As the landing paddock is basically flat, I decided to take advantage of a different set of bolt holes - I removed each wheel and dropped the deck.

Lower the Deck
Lower the Deck800×799 279 KB

Some changes:

  • Changed the power button to an emergency stop.
  • Added a long range relay as another emergency stop
  • The electric motors stop but not the petrol engine - add a relay to stop that.
  • Add box which contains Pixhawk 6C, Telemetry Radio, RC Receiver
  • F9P GPS (x2)

Hopefully, I’ll get to fire it up later this week.

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BoxFitted
BoxFitted800×651 211 KB

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That is a great looking setup! I have one that I just Purchased that is very similar and I haven’t started modifying it yet.

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Looks great! Please post some videos operating when able. Good luck!

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Mower in action

Can you add video here rather than youtube??

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That is a great looking mower! You did a good job.
I don’t think you can add video to the Ardupilot website, only links to video that resides somewhere else.
If I am wrong please correct me. I would also like to be able to do that.

1 Like