A mast to see further, a roof to charge from the sun.
A mast to see further, a roof to charge from the sun.
Special Sees over long grass from 1 m up; its solar roof tops up the battery between missions.
Weakness Tall: low branches and wind. Its mast lidar has a 43 cm blind zone close in.
Gen 2 · Sentinel · Concept. Simulated.
Ion's body with a 1.1 m sensor mast and a 30 W solar roof. Up high, the lidar and camera see over long grass and low hedges, and the GNSS antenna has a clearer sky. The trade-off is a bigger blind zone close in: the lidar is tilted 30° down to keep it small. The roof tops up the battery between missions, so it can live away from a dock.
Photon is a concept: simulated, not built. Parts and prices are estimates, in US dollars (Nov 2026). Drawings are generated from the profile the simulator uses.
| Body (L × W × H) | 61 × 60 × 115 cm |
|---|---|
| Mass | ≈ 20 kg |
| Drive | Two-wheel differential, 1 caster, 24 cm wheels, up to 0.5 m/s |
| Blades | 36 cm → 36 cm cut |
| Battery | 7S 6 Ah ≈ 151 Wh |
| Stripe spacing | 32.4 cm (10% overlap) |
| Edge lap | 35 cm from the edge; uncut band ≈ 17 cm for the trimmer |
| Turning in place sweeps | a 115 cm circle |
| 3D lidar blind zone | 43 cm ahead of the nose |
| Margin at raised beds | 45 cm |
| Best for | Lawns with long grass or low hedges; spots without a powered dock. |
| Slopes | up to ≈ 12° |
| Part | What it does | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Everything in Ion | The body, board, brain and sensors | ≈ $2,150–2,300 | Ion's list |
| Mast (carbon or aluminium tube) + mounts | Lifts the lidar, camera and antenna | ≈ $60 | estimate |
| 30 W solar panel + MPPT charge controller | Charges between missions | ≈ $90 | estimate |
| Total | ≈ $2,300–2,450 | ||
mowlark