Solar Powered Automated Grass Cutter Machine

with Lawn Coverage

Saad Afridi Afaq Hussain
Noman Sharif
saadnoorafridi@gmail.com afaq@giki.edu.pk
nomansharif03@gmail.com
GIK Institute, Topi, Pakistan GIK Institute, Topi, Pakistan
GIK Institute, Topi, Pakistan

Muhammad Hasnain Saad Rasheed

engineerhasnain1@gmail.com nomansharif03@gmail.com
GIK Institute, Topi, Pakistan GIK Institute, Topi, Pakistan

Abstract—Over the recent few years, the trend to use solar
energy in day-to-day applications has exponentially grown.
People are looking for transforming the existing non-renewable
based energy infrastructure to a clean renewable energy source.
2023 International Conference on Emerging Power Technologies (ICEPT) | 979-8-3503-0101-4/23/$31.00 ©2023 IEEE | DOI: 10.1109/ICEPT58859.2023.10152343
pollution for a cleaner environment [3]-[5].
A. Problem Statement
Lawn mowers are important for maintaining lawns and

From cars to cities, solar energy has captured a great attention.
Lawn Mower has been always used to maintain the lawn.
However, the conventional Diesel based lawn mowers are a
threat to society. The presence of abundant sunlight in lawn is a
key prospect that can be utilized in favor of mankind. Extracting
solar energy from sun, and using it to drive an automated lawn
mower is the basic purpose of our project. Solar energy is used
to charge batteries, increasing the average operation time and
area. The lawn mower starts from the boundary of a lawn and
concentrically moves towards the center and clears the whole
patch. It has been found effective and efficient in its operation as
compared with the conventional lawn mower.
Keywords—Automated Lawn Mower, Renewable
Energy, Concentric, Efficient Operation.
I. INTRODUCTION
The first lawn mower, invented two centuries ago by
Edwin Budding, was designed to cut grass in big lawns and
stadiums [1]. However, it was bulky, difficult to operate, and
lacked user-friendliness. Our project aims to improve the
conventional lawn mower in several unique ways by
automating it, making it portable, and powering it with
renewable energy [2]. This will drastically reduce mowing
time, enable easy movement across different areas, and reduce
stadiums, but conventional mowers have shortcomings that
reduce their productivity. Addressing these problems would
benefit mankind.
• Conventional lawn mowers need manual operation
and constant human interference.
• Engine-powered mowers severely pollute the
environment.
• Conventional mowers waste time and reduce
productivity.
• Lawn mower noise can cause health problems and
irritation for nearby people.
• Mowing large lawns with a conventional mower
takes several days of hard work.
• Achieving precision cutting in stadiums is difficult
with conventional mowers.
• Manual mowers can't achieve accurate patterns and
patches.
• Mechanical mowers require regular maintenance
and cleaning.

Fig. 1 First lawn mower by edwin budding [1]

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 B. Scope of Work and Expected Outcome
The aim of the proposed method is to design and fabricate
an automated lawn mower that requires minimal human
involvement. The robot will efficiently cater to medium and
large-sized lawns by cutting grass. It will run on solar energy
and have the option to charge batteries from the grid for areas
with low solar radiation. The robot has limitations, which can
be improved for better performance in the future.
• Manual coordinates for lawn size.
• GPS/Bluetooth for remote control.
• Not for severe weather.
• Not for steep/uneven surfaces.
• Manual power on/off.
• No large obstacles/stones.
• Square/rectangle lawn shape only.
The goal of the project is an automated lawn mower powered
by solar energy with a grid backup. It will start from the
boundary and move towards the center, clearing the grass in
its path after giving initial coordinates. This type of lawn
mower hasn't been implemented in Pakistan yet.
II. LITERATURE REVIEW
In literature review, researchers have identified two types
of lawn mower automation and are given as follows.
• Boundary line condition
• Without boundary line condition
A. Boundry Line Condition
The first type of automated lawn mowers uses a boundary
line defined by the user to avoid collisions and falls. This
principle is called the chaos principle [6]-[8]. Robotic
mowers with this boundary line condition do not know the
surface of the lawn and mow randomly. Some robotic
mowers have a sensor that detects the end of the lawn.
However, this random mowing leads to unevenness in the
lawn, as some areas are mowed very frequently, while others
are not.
Fig. 3. Boundary Line Condition Grass Cutter [2]
B. Without Boundry Line Condition
Automation and technology are advancing rapidly, and
they have also made their way into lawn mowers. When it
comes to lawn mowers that don't require boundary lines, there
are two leading technologies
• Bluetooth Module
• GPS Module
1) Bluetooth Module
This technique is a basic form of automation where a
Bluetooth module is interfaced with the device and an
android app is used to operate the lawn mower [5]. An HC-
06 Bluetooth module is used to transfer commands from the
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phone to the system. The user can give commands like start,
stop, left, right, up, and down from up to 10 meters away.
However, the user still needs to be present with the machine
in the lawn, and is actively giving directions, which means
this type of mower cannot be considered fully automated [9].
2) GPS Module
GPS navigation used in robotic lawn mowers collects
coordinates from satellite signals to create a digital map of
the yard, which helps the mower optimize its mowing routes
and avoid repeating areas [6]. However, it only achieves an
accuracy of up to 3 meters, making it less suitable for
applications where precision is crucial. Using this technology
in lawn mowers may result in abrupt cutting, raising concerns
for users who invest in the machine [10].
III. DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
A. Boost Converter
Our project aimed to create a fully automated and power-
efficient lawnmower by utilizing both DC battery and solar
panel technologies. To further enhance its power efficiency,
we plan to incorporate a DC/DC boost converter to operate
the solar panel at maximum power point tracking (MPPT)
and extract the most power possible. Boost Converter
Simulation circuit is given as:
Fig 4. Boost Converter Simulation circuit
The hardware circuit is given as
Fig 5. Boost Converter Hardware Circuit
A boost converter is made up of different components
combined to boost the input voltage while reducing the
current. Major components are mentioned below:
• Gate Driver Circuit
• Input Capacitor
• Inductor
• MOSFET
• Output Capacitor
1) MPPT Algorithm
This control is responsible for the selection of duty cycle
in converter because the input voltage of the panel is
constantly changing so we must control the Mosfet On/Off
conditions.
 B. Bidirectional Converter
The bidirectional controller ensures constant power to the
motor load by communicating between the solar panel and
the dc battery. It operates in boost mode when there's a power
deficiency and in buck mode when excess power is generated.
grid backup is also provided for harsh environmental
Fig 6. MPPT Algorithm Simulation
conditions. The bidirectional controller maintains a constant
2) Gate Driver Circuit voltage of 12V to the motors, regardless of the intensity of
Gate driver circuit is used to convert a low power input to sunlight, by connecting the solar panel and dc battery.
a high current drive supplied to the gate of Transistor. In our
gate driver circuit, we have used following components: Fig. 9. represents the schematic diagram of bidirectional
DC/DC converter in MATLAB.
• 10-ohm resistor
• 10 micro farad capacitors
• Gate drive IC IR2210
The designed parameters of the components of Boost
converter are mentioned in Table 1.
TABLE 1. Designed parameters of boost converter
Duty Cycle D=1–(Vmpp/Vo) 0.55
Maximum Power Pmax=I*Vmpp 4.44 A
I=Pmax/Vmpp
Fig 9. Bidirectional DC/DC converter (simulation)
Output Current Io=Pmax/Vo 2A
Load R=V^2/Pmax 20 Ohm The hardware circuit is given as
Inductor Lc>=(Vmpp*D)/(Fs*I) 0.83 MH
Output Co>=(Io*D)/(Fs*Vo*(V– 0.42mF
Capacitor Vo))

Fig. 7 represents the simulated graph of stable output power

(77 W) coming from solar panels in MATLAB.

Fig 10. Bidirectional DC/DC converter (hardware)

The bidirectional converter has a DC battery on one side and

Fig 7. Output power vs time graph from solar panel
Fig. 8 represents the simulated graph of stable output voltage
(18 V) coming from boost converter in MATLAB.
is connected to the output bus of the boost converter on the
other side, acting as an input to the motor drivers. It uses
MOSFET's for switching purposes, allowing for both buck
and boost operations. The control circuit compares the bus
voltage to the voltage on the output bus of the boost converter
required for the motors' smooth operation. If the bus voltage
is greater, the power is directed towards the DC battery for
charging. If the voltage on the output bus of the boost
converter is lower, the MOSFET directs power from the DC
battery to the motor drivers as a backup for the solar panel
during bad weather conditions or low sunlight intensity.

C. Algorithms
A. Distance Measured By Speed Sensor
In the proposed system, H206 speed sensor is used to
measure the area to be mowed or distance travelled by the
robot. It consists of an LM393 voltage comparator with an
infrared light sensor and a grid plate with 20 slots on the
rotating shaft. The sensor senses gaps in the grid plate to

Fig 8. (Output Voltage of Boost Converter)

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 calculate wheel speed and distance
Fig 11. LM393 voltage comparator and grid plate
B. Angle Measurement
Knowing the angle of the tires would prove very useful in
determining the instance in which the robot makes a left or a
right turn, thus calculating the distance of one side of the
square or the rectangle to mowed down. Now, when the robot
is initialized the angle, it’s facing is considered as 0°. From
there it rotates the left the angle is incremented in negative
and if it rotates right the angel is incremented in positive.
Fig 12. Angle Measurement
C. Motion in Vertix Path
To operate the lawn mower, the external boundary size is
inputted into the program via computer or keypad. Starting
from the outermost edge, the mower makes progressively
smaller squares until it reaches the center of the lawn. Each
square is smaller in size and parameter than the previous one,
and the grass is cut using a BLDC motor cutter attached to
the robot's bottom.
D. Initial Dummy Working
Initially, a dummy system on small scale is developed to
mimic the lawn mower's movement for testing purpose and
transformed it into the actual mower frame after successful
results while replacing small rating components with ones
suitable for the heavier frame.
.
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traveled.
Fig 13. Initial dummy system
E. Motor Connections
The lawn mower has four motors fixed on either side of
its body, with two motors on each side connected in parallel
to make the two tires move in sync with each other.
F. Movement of the Mover
To move the lawn mower forward or backward, two
signals are generated, which are received by the motor drivers
to rotate the motors in sync. To move the lawn mower in the
right or left direction, opposite signals are generated for the
motor pairs on each side of the frame.
Fig 14. Movement mechanism of the motor
G. Motor Drivers
In the initial dummy as it is evident from the figure, there is
only one motor driver used as the current drawn by the small
motors in the dummy is low and is at par and in the range of
the current rating of the motor driver. In the actual system,
high rating motors are used that draw a huge amount of
current from the battery. To prevent the circuit from frying
up, two motor drivers are used for each set of motors having
a current rating of up to 45A.
Fig 15. 30A motor driver
 IV. MECHANICAL BODY DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
The project is a robot-shaped lawn mower made from
different materials to be lightweight and strong. Steel is used
for the external body as it's cheap, strong, and easy to weld.
The length and width of the body are adjusted to fit a 60W
solar panel, but can also fit a 100W panel by changing the
upper part of the body.
Fig 16. Mechanical body (hardware)
We designed the length and width of the robot's external
frame to match the size of the solar panel. The length is 2.5ft
and the width is 1.45ft. A hole is made in the front of the body
for the BLDC motor to ensure accurate cutting without
missing patches. The simulated body is created using CREO
software, and the actual external body is made to match its
dimensions and features.
B. Adjustability of Blades
In the proposed system, a novel idea is to make grass
trimming more convenient by allowing users to adjust the
height of the grass being cut. It is achieved by attaching a
BLDC motor with a cutting blade to an external body. In the
external body, a wood piece that allows the BLDC motor to
move up or down was attached for the above purpose. Users
can easily change the height of the wood piece. Once the
height is set, screws can be tightened to keep the BLDC motor
in place. The range of the cutting height can be adjusted from
10 millimeters to 10 centimeters, with intervals of 1
millimeter. This innovation allows users to customize the
height of the grass being cut to their preference, making lawn
care easier and more efficient.
C. Motor Size Calculation
In order to choose the size of motors used in the proposed
system, it is necessary to consider various factors that will
affect its movement such as the frictional force between the
grass and the wheels, the inclination of the ground or lawn,
and the weight of the lawn mower itself. These factors will
affect the lawn mower's movement.
D. Brushless DC Motors
To cut grass, a high-speed DC motor with medium torque is
needed to achieve the desired results. BLDC motor (EMAX
BL4020/08) was selected for the proposed system because of
its high speed and reasonable torque. Its nominal voltage is
12-18V and its no-load speed is 28,000 RPM. Even at full
load, the speed is 26,500 RPM, which is enough for grass
cutting.

Fig 17. Mechanical body (simulation)

A. Cutter Blades
A special cutting device in front of the BLDC motor to
trim the grass in the lawn, and different blades are designed
to achieve different cutting dimensions and patterns, based on
the customer's preference. The length and diameter of the
blades were selected based on the size of the lawn to save
time and ensure accuracy. The blades are sharpened at the Fig 18. BL4020/08 BLDC motor
ends for easy cutting and come in different sizes. In the E. Wheels
proposed system, blades of different lengths 30.48cm,
To reduce frictional force between the wheels and grass while
34.8cm and 40.4cm with different internal diameters for
moving the lawn mower, mecanum wheels are used instead
various purposes. Table 2. displays the different blades for
of flat wheels. This is because Mecanum wheels involve
their respective BLDC motors.
rolling instead of sliding, reducing friction and battery usage.
The rollers are attached at a 180-degree angle and can move
TABLE 2. DIFFERENT BLADES USED IN PROJECT
360 degrees for easy movement in any direction. 16 rollers
S.No. Blade Length of Width of Internal Internal
Type Blade Blade Diameter hole size are used in each wheel, and the wheels are made of plastic
1 Paper 30.48cm 1cm 0.2cm 0.7cm and steel to reduce weight.
cutter
2 Mover 34.8cm 2.1cm 0.3cm 0.7cm
blade
3 Trimmer 40.4cm 2.3cm 0.4cm 0.7cm
Blade

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 As from table 4, it is analyzed that the mover blade is cutting
the grass approximately 86.8% efficiently and precisely for
four different trails.

In the third experiment, a trimmer blade is used to cut the

grass in the lawn, and it is fixed to cut the grass at the level
of 15mm at different grass levels, the results obtained are
given in table 5.
TABLE 1. RESULTS USING THIRD BLADE
Sr.no. Sample Before After After
Plot Moving Moving Moving
Grass Height Grass Height Expected
Grass
Height
Fig 19. Mecanum wheel 1 Trail 1 127mm 21mm 15mm
2 Trail 2 132mm 17mm 15mm
V. RESULTS 3 Trail 3 118mm 16mm 15mm
4 Trail 4 105mm 19mm 15mm
Several numbers of trails were carried out to cut the grass by
different blades of length 30.48cm,34.8cm and 40.4cm, also As from table 5, it is analysed that the trimmer blade is almost
their internal diameters were of different sizes. All the three cutting the grass approximately 83.3% efficiently and
blades that are used in the project have different purposes, so precisely for four different trails.
all of them have different results while cutting the grass of
the lawn.
The first blade that is used to cut the grass in the lawn is a VI. CONCLUSION
paper cutter and it is fixed to cut the grass at the level of
55mm at different grass levels, the results obtained from the The following conclusions are depicted from the simulation
papers cutter are given in table 3. and experimental analysis of the proposed system.
• Cutting accuracy depends on lawn condition, grass
TABLE 3. Results using paper blade
Sr.No. Sample Before After After
density, height, and moisture content.
Plot Moving Moving Moving • For efficient cutting, BLDC cutting speed should be
Grass Height Grass Height Expected high and DC motor movement speed should be low.
Grass
Height • Frequent on/off operation of motors reduces battery
1 Trail 1 100mm 60mm 55mm backup.
2 Trail 2 140mm 58mm 55mm • Battery backup is dependent on grass height,
3 Trail 3 155mm 57mm 55mm moisture, and density.
4 Trail 4 110mm 59mm 55mm
VII. REFERENCES
As from table 3, it is analyzed that the paper cutter is cutting
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