Cyber Lawnmowers in Kirov: Robotics Reach the City Parks

Pilot trials of remote-controlled robotic lawnmowers have begun in Kirov, marking another step in Russia's smart city transformation. The machines could redefine urban landscaping by slashing labor costs, minimizing damage, and laying the groundwork for future autonomous green care systems.

Urban Robotics Transform Landscaping

In Kirov, the launch of robotic lawnmower trials reflects a broader national effort to integrate smart infrastructure into public utilities. According to local officials and the municipal contractor GORDORMOSTSTROY, each robotic unit can replace up to four manual workers using handheld trimmers.

These remotely controlled machines allow operators to supervise mowing from a distance, boosting safety and operational control. In field tests, the robotic mowers demonstrated high efficiency, reducing damage to saplings and shrubs—common during manual mowing—while ensuring uniform grass cutting with no patchiness. They also contribute to resource savings by cutting labor and maintenance costs.

From Cleaning Bots to Fully Autonomous Mowers

Russia's journey into robotic public service began earlier. Between 2020 and 2022, malls and airports across the country adopted robotic cleaning machines. These helped reduce janitorial staffing needs to 2–3 workers per facility and cut water and detergent usage by 20–30%.

We expect a growing number of autonomous devices capable of adapting to weather and terrain. Their key role is to free people from routine tasks and to make public maintenance equipment quieter, more compact, and more comfortable for the urban environment

Pavel Teplov

Innovation Director at Mercator Holding

By 2023, robotic mowers entered the private market. Models like Robokos and Dreame Roboticmower proved effective in maintaining lawns up to 2,000 square meters. In 2024, Moscow deployed sidewalk-cleaning robots such as 'Pixel'—unmanned utility vehicles for urban environments.

Internationally, Husqvarna Automower has long been a benchmark, offering GPS-guided autonomous mowing with smart home integration.

Scaling from Pilot to Smart City Integration

While Kirov's robotic mowers still require remote control, the path toward full autonomy is already in view. Machine vision, neural networks, and sensor networks will enable next-generation robots to plan routes, avoid obstacles, and respond to changing conditions independently.

The pilot program opens doors for scaling robotic maintenance across Russian municipalities. Future applications could include city parks, roadside verges, and other public green spaces. Full AI integration would minimize management costs and increase reliability.

The prospect of domestic software alternatives to global platforms like Husqvarna is also on the horizon. The Kirov experiment is a litmus test—not only for the machines but for the readiness of urban digital ecosystems. A successful rollout could integrate robotic mowers with smart irrigation and soil monitoring systems, transforming green maintenance into a seamlessly intelligent process.