Satellite-guided Mowers Are Quietly Trimming Medians And Boulevards Across Sioux Falls

Sioux Falls is deploying satellite-guided robotic mowers to keep medians, boulevards and garden areas looking maintained, according to Pigeon 605. Parks & Recreation has used the machines several times a week, with the program starting last year with four robotic mowers and expanding to nine. City staff describe the units as consistent and do not require a subscription, allowing grass to be cut without someone driving a mower for hours. The city’s expectation is that groundskeepers can shift time toward trimming, landscaping and other tasks needing human attention. Robotic mowing isn’t cheap: a typical model costs around $6,000. The city says it continues to mow at least once a week in many areas to prevent weeds from taking over.