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City of Edmonton launches self-driving lawn mower pilot project

The drones are coming

Husqvarna 450x robot lawnmower

I like gadgets, especially those of the smart home automation variety, but I’d argue that self-driving, drone-like automated lawn mowers might be taking things a little too far.

The City of Edmonton is currently piloting two automated electronic lawn mowers this summer at Coronation Park near 142nd Street and 111th Avenue. The pair of automated lawn mowers, which measure in at 60cm (2ft), are programmed to cut grass within preset electric fencing that runs along the perimeter of a soccer field, according to CBC News.

The two Husqavara 450x lawn mowers — which operate very similarly to iRobot’s Roomba or Dyson’s 360 Eye robotic vaccuum — are priced at $9,000 and take approximately 12 hours to cut the field they’re set up to maintain. Users must charge each automated lawn mower for an hour every four hours.

The City of Edmonton says that the lawn mowers are not replacing any jobs and are instead being used “where it’s dangerous for the existing fleet to venture,” which includes banks, ravines and ponds that are close to power lines.

Source: CBC News

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