I’m in the process of building a remote control Zero turn mower. The mower drives from two Hydrostatic transmissions. I plan to use two servos to actuate the levers that operate the transmissions. My question is how do I control the servos so that they operate like a tank track.
I used a motor controller for my electric drive lawn mower. That was simple using a sabertooth. I also would like to run a gyro to help keep the mower in line. Any help would greatly be appreciated. I’m assuming I might need an arduino which I have no idea how to set them up.
Hey @rotor
Welcome back to RobotShop Community!
From what I understand, you want to remote control a mower, using servos and a gyro.
How do you intend for the gyro to interact with the remote control exactly? Do you intend to use it as a safety to make sure the robot doesn’t drift unless it receive a signal from the remote control to turn pass a certain angle?
From what I can suggest;
Use a remote control and a receiver.
Plug the receiver output to an Arduino or a Raspberry Pi.
Plug the Gyro to the microcontroller.
Program your microcontroller to take into account the signal received from the remote controller and modify it accordingly, depending on your readings from your gyro.
Send the modified signals to the two servos you will use to operate the transmissions.
Thanks Audio,
Yes I plan for the gyro like in helicopters to help keep the mower tracking when it hits say a slope or a bump that can cause an unintended course change.
I think I need to find a Arduino or Rasperry Pi for dummies book. I seem to be jumping head long into electronics and programming.
My ultimate plan is to make this zero turn mower remote controlled and with a camera so I can mow from my living room.
Hi Rotor
Did you ever complete your project? How did you finalize the gyro guidance?
I built a similar project but with skid steering using a dual channel motor controller and need advice on using the gyro for keeping straight.
This is my mower:
Vanright that looks great.
I never got around with doing the gyros. I had an issue with the controller and it turned out to be a power issue even with my alternator and batteries. That took a long conversation with Dimension Engineering to figure it out. Anyways It has been a real work horse and I have run the mower hard for over 4 years without any big problems . I became rather good at controlling the bot so never finished with the gyros. My next mower will be a zero turn mower much easier to convert into a r/c . Little fab work just two servos controller and done. I just don’t have the room in the garage for another mower.
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@Vanright and @rotor
you might be disapointed by the accuracy a gyro alone could deliver. On multicopter-mission control they use gyro/accelerometer together with GPS and a digital compass, but they still miss the target. And a drone only has to fight with (gusty) winds instead of a bumpy/slippery surface.
In case of a lawn mower a small misalignment can end up in a broadening strip of uncut grass.
You could either use only 3/4 of the mower width to cover that or do some extra rounds. Both options aren’t very efficient.
If the grass is pretty high when you cut it, you can probably use a camera with edge recognition and do the straights like a line follower.
Hi rotor, I am thinking of converting my hydrostatic zero turn mower to rc using a radio controller.
My question is how to control the 2 servos on existing sticks.
I have a 21” mower converted to rc using a sabertooth and golf buggy motors, works really well, but now trying to figure out how to control servos on the big beast.
Any advice / help will be most appreciated.
Cheers Bob
Hey Bob
Any controller will do the job. Sabertooth will work. Just spend some money on strong servo’s don’t use linear actuators too slow. Hope that helps.
Also search youtube more and more people are doing this and making videos. Some even with FPV very cool.
Thanks for heading me in the right direction, I’m off now to YouTube.
Cheers Bob