Comparison
RTK vs LiDAR vs Camera vs Wire: How Robot Mowers Navigate
The way a robot mower finds its way decides what you install, whether it copes with trees, and how much it costs. Here is each technology in plain terms, with the models that use it.
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Navimow
Navimow X430
8.2/10 research scoreNetwork RTK with 360° camera vision.
Mammotion
Mammotion LUBA mini 2 AWD 1500
8.0/10 research scoreLiDAR with cameras, no RTK.
Mammotion
Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD 3000
8.4/10 research scoreLiDAR, network RTK and cameras combined.
The short answer
For open lawns, network RTK is accurate and affordable. For trees, sheds and tight corners, choose LiDAR, ideally combined with RTK and cameras. Camera-led systems need light and clear edges; a boundary wire is the old, reliable fallback that most buyers no longer need.
Every robot mower has to answer two questions all the time: where am I, and where does the lawn end? The answer used to be a wire around the lawn. Today there are four main approaches, and many mowers combine them. Which one you need depends mostly on your trees, buildings and budget. We explain each from the makers' documents and independent reviews; see how we research.
At a glance
| Technology | How it works | You install | Struggles with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boundary wire | Mower senses a wire around the edge | The wire, pegged or buried | Cuts in the wire, changes to the lawn |
| RTK satellite | Satellite position corrected to a few cm by a reference | A reference antenna, or nothing with network RTK | Heavy tree cover, tall walls |
| LiDAR | A laser scanner measures the surroundings and builds a map | Nothing | Price; overheating in hot weather reported on some units |
| Camera vision | Cameras recognize grass, edges and obstacles | Nothing | Low light, unclear edges |
RTK: accurate in the open
RTK (real-time kinematic) positioning corrects the error in satellite signals using a reference with a known position. Mammotion's support pages explain what the app shows: a "Fix" status means accuracy within 10 cm (as little as 2 cm in open sky) and the mower can mow on its own; "Float" (about 50 to 200 cm) and "Single" (meter-level) mean it can't. Trees, walls and fences weaken the signal, which is why RTK mowers can stop or drift in shady corners. Husqvarna's iQ uses its own reference station; Navimow and Mammotion's LUBA 3 use network RTK, which delivers the correction over the mobile network.
LiDAR: works where satellites don't
A LiDAR scanner spins a laser to measure distances to trees, fences and walls, and the mower locates itself on that 3D map. It doesn't need a sky view, so it works under trees and at night. The Mammotion LUBA mini 2 AWD and Dreame A3 AWD rely on LiDAR with cameras. Owners of the Dreame A3 AWD Pro report LiDAR overheating shutdowns in hot weather, so check the operating temperature in the manual if you live somewhere hot.
Cameras: obstacle eyes
Cameras recognize grass, edges and obstacles. Most makers use them alongside RTK or LiDAR for obstacle avoidance (Navimow's VisionFence, Mammotion's dual cameras). On their own they need daylight and clearly visible edges.
Boundary wire: still an option
A wire is cheap and doesn't care about trees, but installing it around a whole lawn takes hours and every cut wire stops the mower. Husqvarna's iQ still offers it as an alternative to EPOS. None of the other mowers we cover needs one.
Which should you choose?
- Open lawn, few trees: network RTK (Navimow X430, i206 AWD).
- Some trees, sheds, walls: LiDAR or LiDAR + RTK (Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD, Navimow i215 LiDAR).
- Lots of shade: LiDAR without depending on RTK (LUBA mini 2 AWD, Dreame A3 AWD).
The robot mower finder uses exactly this logic when you tell it about your trees.
| Spec | Navimow Navimow X430 | Mammotion Mammotion LUBA mini 2 AWD 1500 | Mammotion Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD 3000 | Husqvarna Husqvarna Automower 420 iQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research score | 8.2/10 research score | 8.0/10 research score | 8.4/10 research score | 7.0/10 research score |
| List price | $2,499 | $1,999 | $2,799 | $3,299.99 |
| Coverage and terrain | ||||
| Max lawn area | 43,560 sq ft (best) | 16,117 sq ft | 32,670 sq ft | 43,560 sq ft (best) |
| Max slope | 84 % (best) | 80 % | 80 % | 45 % |
| All-wheel drive | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Multiple zones | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not published |
| Narrowest passage | Not published | Not published | 27.6 in | Not published |
| Cutting | ||||
| Cutting width | 17 in (best) | 7.8 in | 15.7 in | 9.4 in |
| Lowest cutting height | 0.75 in | 0.8 in | 1 in | 1 in |
| Highest cutting height | 4 in | 4 in | 4 in | 4 in |
| Cutting height set in app | Yes | Not published | Not published | Yes |
| Edge cutting mode | Not published | Yes | Not published | Not published |
| Blades | 2 discs with 12 pivoting blades, floating cut | Main disc with 6 pivoting blades + edge disc with 3 | 2 discs with 6 pivoting razor blades each | 3 pivoting razor blades |
| Navigation and smart features | ||||
| Navigation | EFLS NRTK: network RTK + 360° camera vision + visual-inertial odometry | 360° LiDAR + dual-camera AI vision (no RTK) | 360° LiDAR + network RTK (iNavi) + dual-camera AI vision | EPOS satellite RTK with reference station (virtual boundary), or a physical boundary wire |
| Boundary wire needed | No | No | No | No |
| RTK antenna needed | No | No | No | Yes |
| Obstacle detection | VisionFence: 360° RGB camera + ToF, 200+ object types | LiDAR + dual cameras, 300+ obstacle types | LiDAR + dual cameras, 300+ obstacle types, anti-fall | Not published |
| App control | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes | Not published | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes | Not published | Yes |
| Cellular (4G) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Anti-theft | GPS tracking, lift and out-of-boundary alarms, PIN, proximity unlock, Find My | Not published | Not published | GPS theft tracking, PIN code, alarm |
| Battery and charging | ||||
| Battery capacity | 12,800 mAh (best) | 6,100 mAh | 12,000 mAh | 5,000 mAh |
| Runtime per charge | 110 min | 150 min | 175 min (best) | 84 min |
| Charging time | 90 min | 150 min | 120 min | 54 min (best) |
| Weather and noise | ||||
| Rain sensor | Yes | Not published | Yes | Not published |
| Water resistance | IP66 | IPX6 | IPX6 | IPX5 |
| Noise level | 68 dB | 65 dB | 70 dB | 62 dB (best) |
| Size and warranty | ||||
| Weight | 63.71 lb | 37.9 lb | 41 lb | 38 lb |
| Dimensions | 33.5 × 24.0 × 13.8 in | 22.9 × 16.9 × 11.4 in (Standard version) | 27.2 × 21 × 11 in (Standard version) | 29.6 × 21.4 × 11.1 in |
| Warranty | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years | 4 years (best) |
| Where to buy | Check price at Navimow (opens in a new tab) | Check price at Mammotion (opens in a new tab) | Check price at Mammotion (opens in a new tab) | Check price at Husqvarna (opens in a new tab) |
Frequently asked questions
Is LiDAR better than RTK for a robot mower?
What is network RTK?
Do camera-only mowers work at night?
Sources
Specs, prices and claims in this article come from these sources.
- About the positioning information (Fix, Float, Single) · Mammotion · accessed Oct 17, 2026
- Navimow spec comparison · Navimow · accessed Oct 17, 2026
- Mammotion LUBA mini 2 AWD specifications · Mammotion · accessed Oct 17, 2026
- Husqvarna Automower 420 iQ specifications · Husqvarna · accessed Oct 17, 2026
- Dreame A3 AWD Pro review · Gizmodo · accessed Oct 17, 2026
Written by
Research and editing
The RobotMowers editorial team researches robot lawn mowers from manufacturer documents, published measurements and owner reports.
