Steep ground, dense undergrowth and proximity to roads, railways or water can all put the operator at risk, so remote control mowers can make a major contribution to health and safety.
The added convenience and consistency means that some areas that would be maintained less often or not at all can now be tackled.
Electric and hybrid drive is also becoming a possibility as battery technology develops.
Agria, the German manufacturer, has gone public in continental Europe with a prototype of the all-electric agria 9700e.
The new agria 9700e has a 24 kWh lithium-ion battery and uses brushless and stepless drive on steep slopes and banks up to 50 degrees. An attachment such as a flail mower, seeder or snowblade, can be mounted to the front using a standard three-point linkage.
Represented in this country by a network of Wiedenmann UK dealers, Agria UK already offers two leading hybrid remote control mowers, the agria 9500 and 9600.
Spokesperson Val Graham said: “The health and safety benefits of the agria 9500 and 9600 have made a dramatic impact to the working day for many contractors and local authorities. The operator can take up a position 100 metres away from a steep slope and using a handheld control pad and joystick, safely navigate cutting and mulching on slopes up to 50 and 55 degrees respectively. These machines prioritise staff safety while achieving more uniform results on difficult and sometimes previously unreachable terrain.
“The agria 9700e will add processes such as flailing and seeding, allowing new areas such as scrub land to be cultivated and maintained.”
There are no details of timescale or availability as yet, but watch this space.
