Landon Erbrick, Paul Bartley, Mark Hoffman and Tanzeel Rehman – Auburn University

J. Bryan Unruh – University of Florida

As the landscape industry faces mounting labor challenges, tightening environmental regulations, and growing pressure to improve efficiency, the emergence of mowing technologies are generating widespread attention. But do these machines actually deliver on their promises of cost savings, labor efficiency, and sustainability?

A multi-disciplinary team of researchers from Auburn University, the University of Florida, and the University of Georgia has launched a multi-year research initiative to answer that very question. Supported by industry partners and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), this effort is part of a larger grant-funded project titled “Landscape Equipment Sustainability Strategies: Do More with LESS.” The project involves a comprehensive evaluation of large-platform autonomous mowers to assess their real-world performance, cost-effectiveness, and operational safety across a variety of landscape conditions.

Why This Research Matters

The adoption of automation in turf care is no longer a theoretical discussion. Manufacturers have introduced commercial autonomous platforms, and early adopters are already deploying them on sports fields, university campuses, and business parks, yet independent research remains scarce on the topic.

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