Development and Analysis of a Solar-Powered Grass Cutter with Integrated Collector Using IoT ^†

Abstract

This abstract depicts a novel kind of solar-powered grass mower that is capable of being controlled remotely and can avoid obstacles thanks to the Internet of Things technology. This design offers an eco-friendly and effective solution that aims at redefining lawn care. By lowering reliance on fossil fuels, green energy usage promotes sustainability. During operation, an integrated collector accumulates grass clippings, streamlining trash management. This discovery unlocks the door for intelligent, user-friendly robotic grass cutters that can navigate obstacles by utilizing cutting-edge technologies, ushering in a new era of automated and sustainable lawn care.

1. Introduction

Creating and maintaining a lush, green lawn requires consistent effort. Traditional methods often rely on gasoline or electric lawnmowers, which raise environmental concerns due to noise pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Consistent work is needed to grow and maintain a lush, green grass. Traditional lawnmowers (gas or electric) harm the environment and require manual labor [1]. Researchers are exploring eco-friendly alternatives, like solar-powered and automated lawnmowers [1,2,3,4]. This project proposes a solar-powered robotic lawn mower that prioritizes sustainability and user convenience. Inspired by existing research [5,6,7], we select efficient components and integrate an intelligent debris collector. We aim to evaluate the mower’s performance in terms of communication range, energy consumption, and cutting efficiency. This research aligns with the growing interest in automation and efficient lawn maintenance practices.

2. Working Principle

A solar panel charges a 12 V battery that powers the mower’s electronics controlled by a NodeMCU via a Blynk app version v1.2.0 (Wi-Fi), with relays activating components based on app commands (start/stop, movement). The blades rotate at 60 RPM (see Figure 1).

3. Comparative Analysis and Operational Flow

Let us understand the differences that can be seen between traditional grass cutters and solar-powered grass cutters with IoT and a collector, as mentioned in

Table 1. Traditional grass cutters vs. solar-powered grass cutters with IoT and a collector.

Features	Traditional Grass Cutters	Solar-Powered Grass Cutter with Collector
Power Source	Gasoline/Electric	Solar Panel (Renewable)
Fuel/Energy Cost	Ongoing (gasoline/electricity)	No ongoing cost
Environmental Risk	High (gasoline)/Moderate (Electricity)	Low
Noise Level	High	Potentially Lower (Electric Motor)
Grass Collection	Requires separate bagging	Built-in collector for easy disposal
IoT Connectivity	No	Yes (Wi-Fi) for remote control, potential scheduling/monitoring
Operation	Manual control	User App Control (Via Wi-Fi)

. Traditional grass cutters are detailed in [8,9,10,11,12,13].

As illustrated in Figure 2, the user interacts with the solar-powered lawn mower through a secure connection on a Blynk app. This app facilitates remote control of the mower’s movement (forward, backward, left, right). If no commands are received, the app remains connected and ready for further instructions.

4. Result and Discussion

The study investigated a solar-powered robotic lawn mower with an integrated collector and IoT connectivity (Figure 3).

Theoretical calculations were conducted to estimate the performance of the proposed solar-powered robotic lawn mower. As shown in

Table 2. System performance analysis.

Aspect	Calculation	Result
Power Consumption per Motor ($P_m$)	$V_m\times I_m$	60 W
Total Power Consumption ($T_{pc}$)	$P_m\times 2motors$	120 W
Usable Battery Capacity ($C_{usable}$)	$C_{battery}$ × 0.8	67.2 Ah
Estimated Runtime	$C_{usable}$/($T_{pc}$ × 60 min)	34.1 min
Effective Cutting Width ($Effectiv{e}_{cw}$)	1000 mm/Cutting Width × Cutting Ratio	0.1913 m
Distance Cut per Rotation ($D_r$)	$Effectiv{e}_{cw}$	0.1913 m
Estimated Cutting Speed	$D_r$ × RPM	11.48 m/min

, the mower is estimated to run for a duration of 34.1 min on a full battery charge. This runtime is based on the power consumption of the motors and the usable capacity of the battery (considering a safety factor). The cutting speed is estimated to be 11.48 m per minute, calculated based on the assumed effective cutting width and blade rotation speed.

5. Conclusions

This work explored the design and feasibility of a solar-powered robotic lawn mower with integrated debris collection and IoT connectivity. The proposed system prioritizes sustainability and user convenience by utilizing renewable solar energy and facilitating remote control via a mobile application. While further optimization is necessary, this concept offers a promising solution for eco-friendly and efficient lawn care.