Maintaining sports fields easier than ever with robotic mowers

Smart mowing with precision

Once you experience the efficiency and convenience of autonomous mowing in the field, you will choose this smart way of maintenance for good. The advantages: fewer emissions, lower maintenance costs and a more consistent mowing result. Positec Benelux, distributor of Kress robotic mowers, also sees this trend increasing: more and more professional sports fields and golf courses are switching to intelligent mowing robots. A striking example can be found at RODA JC Kerkrade, where materials manager and turf manager Fred Thomasse recently deployed a Kress robot mower for the main pitch at the Parkstad Limburg Stadium.

Smart maintenance for a perfect pitch

Thomasse knows RODA JC's grass inside out. “In summer, I was spending a whole day mowing. Because I combine two jobs, it just wasn't feasible anymore.” The club switched from artificial turf to natural grass four years ago. Since then, maintenance has become more intensive. Thomasse therefore recommended buying a robotic mower: “With a riding mower or wide walk-behind mower, you spend a lot of time and you consume diesel and mixed fuel. The Kress robotic mower works independently all day. It only needs power and it does its work silently.” The mowing area covers a full football pitch of 105 by 68 metres, including the grass areas around it. “Intrak from Voerendaal did the installation and fine tuning. The robot is set so that it can mow both with and without targets. I set the mowing times and everything else goes automatically. A breeze,” Thomasse smiles. 

Daily mowing, visible results

The robot provides a noticeably better field. “You can really see the difference,” Thomasse continues. “Because it mows every day, the grass stays more compact and gets stronger. The cutting height is constant and the field stays nice and clean. I maintain the robot myself: cleaning and fitting new blades, that's all. And for technical questions, I can contact the supplier immediately.” In terms of the environment and noise, the robotic mower also scores highly. With a noise level of about 60 dB, it is barely audible. Moreover, as it is fully electric, there are no emissions from combustion engines. 

The technology behind Kress

Among other things, Kress develops autonomous robotic mowers for sports fields, golf courses and other professional turf facilities. Thanks to RTKn positioning - a satellite network that provides centimetre accuracy without extensive boundary wires - the mowers work efficiently on large areas with complex contours. The light weight prevents soil compaction, while the adjustable cutting height allows different zones to be adjusted automatically.

Thomasse is enthusiastic about the cooperation. “We are very satisfied with the performance and service. It is nice that there are such solutions that really relieve clubs. The pitch looks better than ever.”