Picking up balls on the driving range: automating with a robot

On a busy driving range thousands of balls lie on the grass in the evening. They have to be picked up, washed and put back in the dispenser for the next day. With a tractor and picker unit that is a job that returns every day, often at times when few staff are around. A robot takes that over and picks up balls while your team looks after golfers and maintenance.

How a ball picking robot works

The FJD BP02 Ball Picker Kit is a kit for the FJD Rough Ranger. The robot drives a route across the range autonomously, picks up the balls and returns automatically when the basket is full. You set the picking area, route and schedule in the app, where you also find the tasks and history.

What does it achieve?

According to the manufacturer, the BP02 picks up to 3,000 balls per hour and up to 36,000 balls per charge, with a picking time of up to 12 hours per charge. Over a 21-hour working day that comes to 63,000 balls. That is more than enough to keep up with busy ranges during the season.

When to pick?

Because the robot is electric and works without a driver, it can pick whenever it suits the range best: after closing time, at night or early in the morning. That way the dispenser is ready at opening. Picking during opening hours is best discussed in advance, depending on the layout of your range and your safety arrangements.

One machine, several tasks

The big advantage of the Rough Ranger is that it does more than pick up balls. With a different kit, the same machine does other work on the golf course:

• Mowing with a cutting width of 635 mm and a cutting height of 20 to 120 mm.
• Brushing dew on greens and fairways with the DB01 Dew Brush Kit, up to 2,930 mm wide with three sections.
• Collecting clippings and leaves with the GC01 Grass Collector Kit.
• Line marking with the LM03 kit, for example for a sports field on the same estate.

That makes the robot a daily helper: brushing dew in the morning, mowing during the day and picking up balls in the evening.

Safe on the range

The Rough Ranger navigates with RTK and LiDAR and has 360° obstacle detection and front and rear bumpers. It works on slopes up to 20° and is protected to IPX4.

Do you manage a golf course or driving range? See our page on the ball picking robot for driving ranges, the golf courses sector page or book a demo on your range.