Who would have thought that alongside the massive pump stations safeguarding Lake Hongze—the vital reservoir of the South-to-North Water Diversion East Route—the XuanNiao T1 robotic lawnmower is now playing a key role!
📍 Hongze Station, Huai’an, Jiangsu: This is the third-stage pump station of the South-to-North Water Diversion East Route, serving as a critical hub for securing clean water flow northward. Recently, we conducted comprehensive user training and live demonstrations of the XuanNiao T1 here, demonstrating robust and reliable performance.
The Challenge: Why is Dam Mowing So Demanding?
As a major water conservancy project, the maintenance of embankment slopes and bank protection turf at Hongze Station has historically been a persistent challenge:
- Steep Slopes: The embankments feature roughly 1:3 slopes, which approach a 20-degree angle. Having operators carry manual equipment up these slopes is physically exhausting and carries a significant risk of slipping.
- Chemical Prohibitions: With water source protection as the highest priority for the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, chemical herbicides are strictly banned, making mechanical mowing the only viable solution.
- High Maintenance Frequency: Regular cutting is required before the flood season to prevent weed roots from compromising the structural integrity of the dam, a schedule that manual labour struggled to keep up with.
To address these challenges, the XuanNiao T1 robotic lawnmower was deployed. A closer look at its configuration explains why it is well-suited for such demanding tasks.
Engineered for High-Risk and Heavy-Duty Tasks
🔋 All-Terrain Tracked Chassis: Exceptional Stability
With a maximum climbing capacity of up to 40°, navigating Hongze Station’s 20-degree slopes is straightforward. The deep-tread tracks maximise traction, allowing the machine to move steadily without slipping, even on wet clay slopes after rainfall.
Centimetre-Level Navigation: High-Precision Operation
Equipped with RTK-GNSS and vision fusion positioning technology, the dynamic deviation is kept between 0.8 and 2 inches (2–5 cm). Navigating the slopes in a systematic S-pattern, the mower ensures complete coverage without crossing boundaries or risking falls, producing cuts that rival manual precision.
High-Efficiency Power Unit: Cost-Effective Operation
Featuring a 35.4-inch (90 cm) cutting width and an efficient petrol-electric hybrid system, it achieves a coverage rate of approximately 0.7 to 1.0 acre (3,000–4,000 square metres) per hour.
- Efficiency Comparison: Embankment maintenance that previously required a team of ten working for a week can now be managed by a single machine in two days.
- Operational Cost: With a fuel consumption of just 2 to 3 litres per hour (approx. 0.4 to 0.7 gallons per hour), overall running costs are kept exceptionally low.
Safety Measures: Remote Operation
Equipped with virtual geofencing and real-time obstacle avoidance systems, the mower allows operators to monitor progress from the safety of the flat ground on top of the dam using a tablet or remote control. This removes personnel from high-risk slopes, significantly improving on-site safety.
On-Site Demonstration: Gaining the Operators’ Confidence
For this deployment, we provided the Hongze Station operations and maintenance team with a comprehensive training programme covering both theory and practical application.
1. Technical Overview: Understanding the Mechanics
We explained the mechanical structure of the XuanNiao T series, key maintenance protocols (blade inspections, track tensioning, and battery/engine maintenance), and safety features, including the automatic shutdown logic designed specifically for slope operations.
2. System Calibration: Seamless Area Management
We set up an on-site RTK positioning base station with a coverage diameter exceeding 31 miles (50 km). This allows multiple machines to share a single map database in the future, providing practical scalability for large-scale water conservancy facilities.
3. Slope Operation: Proven Performance
- Smart Scheduling: Automated mowing can be programmed for off-peak or night-time hours, avoiding daytime inspection windows.
- Performance Demonstration: In steep slope mode, the machine maintains a constant speed downhill and delivers full torque uphill. The cutting height is infinitely adjustable from 0.8 to 6 inches (2–15 cm) to ensure a uniform cut across the terrain.
- Hands-on Experience: The operations team completed practical trials. The user-friendly interface allowed staff members to learn the controls quickly and confidently.
The Value: Keeping Personnel Out of Harm’s Way
The South-to-North Water Diversion Project is a vital national initiative. Protecting the water source means chemical runoff is not an option, while maintaining the structural safety of the dam requires consistent vegetation control.
Introducing the XuanNiao T1 has provided direct operational benefits, improving efficiency up to fivefold and reducing labour costs by up to 60%. More importantly, it removes human operators from hazardous slopes, leaving the heavy, repetitive work to the machine.
Watching the XuanNiao T1 navigate the Hongze Lake embankment, leaving tidy, uniform paths in its wake, highlights the practical impact that modern technology can have on environmental protection. Smart water management is more than a concept; it is demonstrated through the steady, reliable operation of such equipment on demanding terrains.
In Summary
From municipal landscapes to national infrastructure projects, the XuanNiao T1 robotic lawnmower is proving the reliability of modern intelligent manufacturing. We remain dedicated to developing specialised robotic solutions to support sustainable landscaping and environmental protection.