We have a Robomow RS-series mower, but also have a fence. This has presented a challenge! A couple of years ago, I cut “flaps” into the bottom of the entrance gate to the back yard, as well as another on the other side of the fence so that the mower can reach both sides of the front yard. However, this was a manual process, and often the flaps were left open.

Here’s the solution! A completely automated gate flap opening system. It uses ESP32 microcontroller boards with LoRa interfaces (Heltec LoRa32 V2) to monitor the status of the mower control panel. If the “mowing” LED comes on, it sends a series of commands to the gates to tell them to open and stay open for as long as the “keep open” signal is sent.

If not received for 10 seconds, the gates will then automatically close. All plastic parts on the gate control housing and its linkages are 3D printed. A 10W solar panel keeps the 24V battery system charged and ready to go day or night. Enjoy!

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12 Comments

  1. Very nice job , stl files for 3d share ??? more video or Pictures from inside all of it thanks if you will please it?s super nice idéer

  2. Adrian have you ever made a video of exactly what all is needed in this kit and how to connect all this? I am getting an Ambrosio Elite 4.0 ordered and intend to install it early June and want to have everything ready by then, I have dogs and don't want them to get out while the gate is open and was thinking that a timing setting could have it open the gate as the mower is headed to area 2(front yard) and open the gate about 10secs before it gets there(Should be a constant amount of time) and close it after it goes through. Then the mower has a setting for how long it stays in area two, and then another timing setting would reopen the gate for it to return to area 1 then close after a certain amount of time( with the algorithms of the mowers this could be a different time depending on where in area 2 it is when it starts it's trip back to area 1.
    If you wouldn't mind sharing I would really like to have a complete list of all the parts(except what you 3D printed of course) and how to set it all up.
    Any help your willing to share would be greatly appreciated, I think if I hire someone to come in and install something like that- well I might as well buy a second mower for the front yard. Thanks Jon

  3. that's awesome, almost exactly what I want to do except I really want to do it lower profile 😀

  4. willing to share the installation instructions- or parts and where to find them?

  5. Thinking about getting one of these robots to do my .42acre but I have 3 zones, 2 are separated by chain link fence so I would have the same problem and the last zone has a gate(chain link) with the garage and driveway on two of the other side- so hard to get to really? Not sure still looking at ideas. Have you talked to the manufacturers about selling the idea? I have a couple of others that I would like to see incorporated as well as a separation gate, I think using bluetooth to command different modules to do what they do is the best way to go. Example: a sort of over/under carwash for the unit just before it returns to its charging station – it would have to sit on the wash for about 2mins with the blades running but after that return to normal and return to it's charging station. This would only take a bluetooth water valve to open and hydro-mechanical spraying of the under/top of the unit. There are so many things that could be added as extras but incorporating the programing for the different modules is up to them really unless its open source.

  6. First, Great job! I do have one question. The worx Landroid manual states you need the guide wire 14 inches from your barrier and 36 in between the guide wires this would require a 64" gate. How did you get around this requirement? did you put the gude wires closer than 14 in from the edge or did you put the guide wires closer than 36" to each other?

  7. Clever idea for interfacing with the mower's control unit: no fancy taps into its internal circuitry – just an LDR over the status light….simple yet effective…one might even call that piece of electrical tape atrocious, but I love it ! :)) In all reality, COULD you tap into the mower's box somehow to make the system more integrated ?

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