Photo By Senior Airman Megan Trivette | A robotic mower trims the grass on a hillside above the fitness track at McGhee Tyson...... read more read more
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McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base continues to pave the way for new innovations across the Air National Guard. The 134th Air Refueling Wing is the first ANG unit to test a robotic mower, with the goal to compensate for high temperatures and rugged terrain that make lawn maintenance challenging.
With over 90 acres to mow on top of their other duties, the 134th Civil Engineer Squadron and facilities maintenance team have their hands full during the summer months. The robotic mower is a tool that can help mitigate complex issues, such as areas too narrow or steep for riding mowers. The device could reduce the workload on staff during summer heat and improve mission readiness base wide.
Security Forces Journeyman Senior Airman Wesley Pitts first introduced the idea to VolSpark, a program created to solve problems across the base by using an innovative product or process. VolSpark requested the funding for the mower from the higher headquarters innovation program AFWERX, which stands for AFVentures, Spark, Prime and SpaceWERX.
Wing Innovation Representative Captain Daniel Simmons explained that the mower is here to reduce an over-burdened staff, not to take work away from human employees. “It was more about aiding the amazing workers in the Civil Engineering Squadron to complete the mission efficiently and safely.” The mower works without an operator due to the low voltage wire along the grounds that act as a boundary without the need for a camera. It operates daily, rain or shine, by navigating a random path within the boundary and keeping the grass at a uniform length.
“This area of Tennessee is very hilly,” Simmons said. “The robotic mower can work on grades as steep as 35 degrees, which is quite dangerous for humans on a riding mower. The steeper hills must be groomed with weed eaters, which is time-consuming and dangerous. The robot mower can also work in all temperatures, freeing staff to work indoors during the hottest
times of the day.”
The robot mower will operate for the next three years on the hillside surrounding Wilson Hall. It may be moved to different locations during that time to test various applications on the base. The goal of this extended testing period is to evaluate the long-term benefits to McGhee Tyson and the maintenance staff with the hopes to offer a permanent solution.
| Date Taken: | 09.18.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 09.19.2024 15:26 |
| Story ID: | 481325 |
| Location: | LOUISVILLE, TENNESSEE, US |
| Web Views: | 56 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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