Husqvarna has used the KLM Open golf event to showcase a ball picker it has added to its portfolio. Instead of developing its own solution, the Swedish giant has chosen to integrate a solution developed by Relox Robotics.
The machine weighs 140 kg and has a capacity of 1,000 balls. It uses two small wheels in the front and two larger wheels in the back. For golf courses that don’t have a pod station yet, pods are available at capacities of 6,000, 12,000 or 18,000 balls. The machine works completely autonomously at a speed of 5 km/hr. On a fully charged battery, the machine can function for 24 hours. The charging itself requires 15 hours.
The picker runs in a preset direction and has no reverse. It both enters and leaves the pod station as well as the charging station in a forward direction.
Move away
With the decision to integrate an existing solution over developing its own ball picker, or, in line with the vision Husqvarna shared several years ago, to build a platform that could also be used to attach a mowing deck, a scarivator or other tools, Husqvarna has moved in a different direction. “We have come to the conclusion that small machines like our Ceora automowers are not suitable to serve as a tool carrier for attaching various tools that are required when maintaining turf,” Wim van Veldhuizen of Husqvarna explained. “The Relox Robotics ball picker has proven to be a reliable solution that adds value to our portfolio.”
The Relox Robotics unit that was shown during the KLM Open had its own power supply and GPS station. However, according to van Veldhuizen, Relox Robotics and Husqvarna are currently rewriting the software to ensure that ball pickers can be integrated with the Ceora automowers.