After trimming grass in Europe for the past two years, Segway is bringing its robot lawnmowers to the U.S. Crucially, both models — the Navimow i Series and the Navimow H Series — are both wire-free models, which means that homeowners won't have to install a boundary wire around their property.
Rather, both use vision processing, GPS and RTK positioning — which uses a small base station to help adjust for any GPS errors — to navigate their way around your yard.
Here's what we know about each robot lawnmower, both of which are due to arrive early this year.
Segway Navimow H Series
The Navimow H Series was introduced in Europe in 2021 and encompasses three models (H500, H800, and H3000). It can handle inclines of up to 45 degrees, and has a mowing time of 180 to 240 minutes, depending on which model you choose.
As the H Series is the more premium line, it's also equipped with more sensors than the i Series. The H Series features a BladeHalt sensor, a Rain sensor, an Ultrasonic sensor (H3000), and a VisionFence sensor (H3000), so it should be able to more easily detect and avoid objects on your lawn.
Pricing has not yet been made available for the U.S. market, but when it was released in Europe, the H500E was priced at €1,199 (about $1,300), the H800 was at €1,499, and the H3000E cost €2,499 (about $2,700).
Segway Navimow i Series
The i Series is the newer, and less expensive lineup of Segway's robot lawnmowers. As such, it doesn't boast as comprehensive a sensor array, and it 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.
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 three models: the i105, the i108 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.
While the estimated price of the H Series is half that, it's still pretty pricey. 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.
