| Type | How it works | Good for | Weak spots |
|---|---|---|---|
| LiDAR | A spinning laser builds a 3D map of the garden around the mower | Trees, houses, gardens without signal | Large open lawns with few landmarks; price |
| Network RTK | Satellite positioning corrected over 4G or Wi-Fi to within centimetres | Open lawns; no antenna to install | Tree cover, tall buildings, weak signal |
| Own RTK station | A reference antenna in your garden corrects satellite positions | Large open lawns | Needs a mounting spot with open sky and power |
| Vision only | Cameras recognise grass, edges and objects | Simple, clearly edged lawns | Cannot mow in the dark; may miss small objects |
Unsure about a term? The jargon buster explains each one and whether you need it.
Many newer mowers combine two or three of these. Our spec score gives the most credit to combinations that include LiDAR, because they keep working when one source fails.
Ready to choose?
Not sure which fits? Answer a few questions about your lawn or see the best-for lists.