ROI of a field robot: when does it pay for itself?

The most important question with any investment is: when will I have earned it back? For a field robot that mainly depends on figures you already know, namely how many hours your team spends today on mowing, line marking or picking up balls, and what those hours cost. This article explains how to do the calculation.

Step 1: what does maintenance cost today?

Count the hours per week for the task the robot would take over. Multiply by the hourly wage including employer costs, and by the number of weeks per year the task is needed. Do not forget the costs that come on top: fuel, maintenance and depreciation of your current machines, and possibly overtime or weekend supplements.

Step 2: which share does the robot take over?

A robot rarely takes over one hundred percent of the work. Someone schedules tasks, checks the results, cleans the machine and mows the corners the robot cannot reach. So calculate with a realistic percentage of the hours that are freed up. During a pilot you see that for your own grounds.

Step 3: what does the robot cost per year?

Against that are the robot's running costs: electricity, maintenance, wear parts such as blades, and possibly a service plan. For line marking, paint comes on top, although according to manufacturers a robot often uses noticeably less paint than manual marking. Electric robots have no fuel costs.

Step 4: the payback period

The net saving per year is the difference between what you spend on the task today and what the robot costs. Divide the investment by that net saving and you know the payback period in years.

A worked example

This is an example to show the method, not a price indication. A club spends 12 hours a week on mowing, for 36 weeks a year, at a labour cost of 38 euros per hour. That is 16,416 euros per year. Suppose the robot takes over 75% of those hours, then 12,312 euros of labour hours are freed up. Subtract estimated running costs of 1,800 euros per year and the net saving is 10,512 euros. With an investment of 25,000 euros that means a payback period of about 29 months. The saving is often higher, because the fuel and maintenance of the old mower also disappear.

What the calculation does not show

• Quality: mowing daily produces a denser, healthier turf than mowing once a week.
• Flexibility: the robot works early, late and at weekends without supplements.
• Staff: your team can focus on work that requires expertise, which helps to retain people.
• Sustainability: no emissions on site and less noise.

Buy or lease

Buying is not the only option. With operational leasing you pay a fixed amount per month. If you want to see what the robot does first, request a one-week pilot. That does not fundamentally change the payback period, but it does change the impact on your budget in the first year.

Calculate your own situation straight away with the ROI calculator, or let a specialist do it during a free field audit.