The tentacles of AI seem to be reaching everywhere, even to the humble lawnmower. We tested the Sunseeker Elite X5, a robotic mower that uses machine learning to steer around your lawn, to see what happens when artificial intelligence meets whirling blades of doom.
The X5 weighs in at 26.5 pounds (12 kg) and measures 26.7 x 16.7 x 10.2 inches (68 x 42.5 x 26 cm). It has a 5 Ah battery, which, in our testing, lasted for just over an hour, at which point the robot will trundle back to its charging station.
The makers claim it will handle a lawn area up to 2,000 m² with a maximum slope of 60 percent or 30 degrees, although we couldn’t verify the latter. The chunky front wheels and single rear steering wheel certainly seemed up to the job and made light work of the undulations of the patch of grass we unleashed it on.
Cutting is performed using a floating cutting disk, capable of producing a 22 cm swathe through grass, with a cutting height ranging from 20 to 60 mm.
Beware the whirling blades of doom (if you’re grass) – Click to enlarge
Although our inner child was hoping that the setup might resemble the Big Trak of our childhood, with buttons on top used to define a mowing pattern, the X5 had an altogether more competent approach via an app to define mowing zones and schedules. Setting up a mowing zone is a simple case of walking the mower around its boundary and saving the zone. The machine then emerges from its charger at the appointed time and mows the selected areas in neat lines.
Like the vast majority of robot lawnmowers, it also does not collect any grass. The theory is that regular use will result in minimal grass cuttings, but it’s still an annoying omission, particularly on the first run.
Tech-wise, the much-vaunted AI technology is used for obstacle avoidance and boundary tracking. The silicon inside is capable of 10 TOPS (Trillions of Operations Per Second). By comparison, Microsoft’s AI-infused Copilot+ PCs require a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) capable of 40 TOPS. That said, the X5 is unlikely to ruin Windows Notepad and load up Paint with useless features.
According to the device’s makers, “Through the learning capability of the visual model, the Elite X5 can better recognize various scenarios it encounters. Algorithms enable analysis and reasoning to better identify obstacles, hazardous areas or boundaries, allowing the mower to determine its travel strategy.”
In practice, it managed to avoid the family cat and dodge toys left on the lawn. Sadly, however, there is no way to stream what its cameras are viewing back to its controlling app.
While the marketing for the device might imply satellite navigation, the reality is more prosaic. A separate base station is required, which the mower uses to determine its location. The manufacturer told us, “The X5 adopts physical RTK (real-time kinematic) technology. It uses real-time differential positioning between a base station and the mower to eliminate position errors, achieving higher positioning accuracy.”
Future models will eliminate the need for a base station with nRTK (network real-time kinematic) technology, which transmits differential data over a network. There is, however, no upgrade path for the X5.
The base station requirement is frustrating, not least because it and the charger both require separate power supplies. It’s a shame that the base station couldn’t be integrated into the charger, but having the two separate means that the base station can be mounted on, for example, the roof of a shed.
In use, the X5 is quiet, effective, and efficient. While we couldn’t help but hum the theme to Robocop while it did its thing, the resulting finish and stripes were impressive, although the need to set the cutting height manually is an annoyance, as is the requirement for two power sockets. The device is well-adapted for the UK climate and will return to its charger if it detects rain. The mower is IPX5 water-resistant, allowing it to be hosed down (although not with a pressure washer), while the base station is IPX4 water-resistant, capable of withstanding rain.
Optimism in naming: The Sunseeker Elite X5 robot mower on a typical UK day – Click to enlarge
With an MRP of €1,899, the X5 is not a cheap robot, although it compares favorably to the competition. Something like the Eufy Robot Lawn Mower E15 is a little more affordable, but won’t work so well in low light and struggles with uneven surfaces. There is something deeply satisfying about a tidy lawn, neatly mown into stripes every day. For people with the lawn and budget, the X5 is a useful garden tool.
AI assistants might be regarded with suspicion by many in the tech world, but this seems an eminently sensible use for the technology. And if the machines ever rise up? Well, there’s always a big STOP button on the top to halt those whirling blades of doom. ®
