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University of Florida

Study finds robotic mowers improve Florida lawn health while reducing maintenance 


  • Research shows robotic mowers can maintain and improve Florida lawns, including St. Augustine grass, even at lower cutting heights.
  • Frequent, light mowing by autonomous units produces denser, healthier turf that better resists pests and disease than weekly mowing.
  • Robotic mowers cut labor and emissions but require precautions for fire ants and lightning around docking stations. 

For many Florida homeowners, lawn mowing can feel like a never-ending chore, especially in the heat of summer. New guidance from experts suggests autonomous or robotic lawn mowers can ease that burden while effectively managing Florida’s hardy lawns, including St. Augustine grass. 

“The simple question was, can a robotic or autonomous mower’s lower cut height at 2.4 inches maintain hardy St. Augustine grass?” asked Bryan Unruh, UF/IFAS West Florida Research & Education Center associate center director. That was a major concern since for most warm season grasses a height average between three and four inches is recommended. 

According to the recently published UF/IFAS WFREC research, the answer is yes. Autonomous mowers not only reduce manual labor and gas emissions but also improve the overall health of warm-season grasses. 

“Our conventional mowing recommendations are basically every seven days to remove a third of the grass blade,” said Unruh. “Part of the success with the autonomous or robotic mowers is the difference that daily mowing makes by clipping off a small amount of grass repeatedly, which helps keep the grass healthier and denser.”  

These findings are significant because most robotic or autonomous mowers were originally designed for European lawns and cool-season grasses. Typically, these types of grasses require less intensive maintenance and thrive at the lower cut height of 2.4 inches. In contrast with the warm-season grasses, daily mowing using a robotic mower’s small, double‑edged razor blades increased turf density and promoted healthier turf that was more resistant to pests and disease. 

“It actually performed very well,” Unruh said. “The turf was spectacular and quite healthy when we compared it against results from conventional mowers.” 

The research findings do warn of some considerations for Florida homeowners though. 

Fire ants, which are drawn to electrical equipment, can produce mounding around or near the docking stations, so a routine insecticide treatment is recommended.  

Unruh notes that lightning is something homeowners should also keep in mind with Florida lawn maintenance. “Lightning is a concern, grounding the docking stations or at least connecting them to surge protection should be considered.” 

However, according to the research at least, there were no negative impacts of running the units during rainy conditions.  

Together, the findings point to autonomous or robotic mowers as suitable, research‑supported alternatives for Florida homeowners looking to simplify lawn care without sacrificing turf health.