Robotic Gardeners Debut in a Russian Park
An autonomous lawnmower has started trimming greenery along a pre-programmed route, marking a shift in how cities may care for green spaces.
In Monrepos Park, located in Vyborg in Russia’s Leningrad Region, a pilot project is testing automated landscape maintenance. Replacing physical labor with robots has become one of the most visible global trends: machines are increasingly deployed in factories, fields, and now city parks—taking over routine work and freeing people for more meaningful tasks.
The lawnmower running in Monrepos Park is electric. Following a programmed route, it neatly trims the grass in the Apple Orchard. If the experiment proves effective, the innovation could radically change how urban green zones are managed in Russia and beyond.
According to a representative of VILLARTEC, the company behind the initiative, specialists will spend about six weeks collecting performance data, adjusting algorithms, and evaluating the economic benefits. If successful, by next spring the entire Apple Orchard could be transitioned to autonomous care.
