Why skip the wire
A wired mower follows a low-voltage loop that you lay or pin around the lawn. It works, but a cut wire means hunting for the fault, and moving a flower bed means re-laying the loop. Wire-free mowers replace the loop with a map you build in an app, usually by driving the mower along the edge with a remote or phone. Every model in our data is listed as wire-free. The real differences are in how each one knows where it is. For a deeper comparison of the three methods, see RTK vs LiDAR vs camera robot mowers.
RTK GPS
RTK stands for real-time kinematic positioning. Wikipedia says it can reach centimeter-level accuracy by comparing the rover's satellite readings with those of a fixed reference station. On a mower, that reference is either a small antenna you mount in your yard or a correction service sent over the internet.
What it needs at install: sky view. The antenna goes in an open spot, and trees or tall walls near the mowing area can degrade the signal. Models that list an antenna as required include the Anthbot Genie line, the Segway Navimow i105 and X-series, the Ecovacs GOAT O1000 RTK and the Sunseeker X5. See the RTK ranking for the full set.
Camera (vision)
A camera-based mower recognizes grass, edges and obstacles from images. No antenna is involved. In our data, the eufy E15 and E15 Gen 2 and the Worx Landroid Vision AI use vision alone.
LiDAR
LiDAR measures distance with laser pulses. Wikipedia describes it as measuring distance by timing returned pulses of light. A spinning or fixed sensor builds a 3D picture of fences, trees and walls. It needs no antenna and does not depend on sky view, so it suits yards with heavy tree cover. Dreame, most Ecovacs GOAT models, the Mammotion LUBA mini 2 and the Anthbot M5 LiDAR use it. See the LiDAR ranking.
Combined systems
Many mowers blend sources. "RTK plus vision" uses satellites for position and a camera for obstacles. "RTK plus LiDAR" adds a laser scanner. The combination covers each method's weak spot, but the antenna question still applies where RTK is involved. Note that some RTK-plus-vision models, such as the Segway Navimow i206 AWD and i210 AWD and the Worx Landroid Vision Cloud line, list no antenna requirement in our data. The Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD 3000 is RTK plus LiDAR with no antenna listed.
Published wire-free models by navigation type
Prices are as of November 8, 2026. "Antenna" shows the listed requirement; "not listed" means our data does not state it.
RTK plus vision
| Model | Price | Max area | Antenna |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anthbot M5 | $679 | 0.12 acres | not listed |
| Anthbot M9 | $699 | 0.25 acres | not listed |
| Segway Navimow i105 | $799 | 0.125 acres | Yes |
| Anthbot Genie 600 | $799 | 0.15 acres | Yes |
| Anthbot Genie 1000 | $799 | 0.25 acres | Yes |
| Segway Navimow i206 AWD | $899 | 0.15 acres | No |
| Anthbot Genie 3000 | $899 | 0.74 acres | Yes |
| Segway Navimow i210 AWD | $1,099 | 0.25 acres | No |
| Worx Landroid Vision Cloud 1/4 Acre | $1,199.99 | 0.25 acres | No |
| Sunseeker X5 | $1,499.99 | 0.5 acres | Yes |
| Anthbot N8 | $1,699 | 0.37 acres | not listed |
| Worx Landroid Vision Cloud 1/2 Acre | $1,799.99 | 0.5 acres | No |
| Segway Navimow X330 | $2,299 | 1.0 acres | Yes |
| Worx Landroid Vision Cloud 1 Acre | $2,299.99 | 1 acre | No |
| Segway Navimow X350 | $2,799 | 1.5 acres | Yes |
| Segway Navimow X390 | $4,499 | 2.5 acres | Yes |
LiDAR
| Model | Price | Max area | Antenna |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anthbot M5 LiDAR | $949 | 0.12 acres | No |
| Dreame A3 AWD 1000 | $1,399.99 | 0.25 acres | No |
| Ecovacs GOAT O1000 LiDAR PRO | $1,499.99 | not listed | No |
| Dreame A3 AWD 2000 | $1,699.99 | 0.5 acres | No |
| Mammotion LUBA mini 2 AWD 1500H | $1,799 | 0.37 acres | No |
| Ecovacs GOAT A2000 LiDAR PRO | $1,999.99 | not listed | No |
| Dreame A3 AWD Pro 3500 | $2,399.99 | 0.87 acres | No |
| Ecovacs GOAT A3000 LiDAR PRO | $2,499.99 | not listed | No |
| Dreame A3 AWD Pro 5000 | $2,799.99 | 1.2 acres | No |
RTK plus LiDAR
| Model | Price | Max area | Antenna |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ecovacs GOAT O1000 RTK | $999.99 | 0.25 acres | Yes |
| Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD 3000 | $2,799 | 0.75 acres | No |
Vision only
| Model | Price | Max area | Antenna |
|---|---|---|---|
| eufy E15 | $1,799.99 | 0.2 acres | No |
| eufy E15 Gen 2 | $1,799.99 | 0.25 acres | No |
| Worx Landroid Vision AI 1/2 Acre | $2,499.99 | not listed | No |
Picking a method
Choose RTK if your yard has open sky and you want the lowest prices in this table. Anthbot and Segway Navimow fill the bottom end. Choose LiDAR if you have trees, tall hedges or a covered patio edge, since it does not need the antenna. Vision only means no antenna and no laser unit, but the vision-only models in our data cost $1,799.99 and up.
Whatever you pick, check the max area against your lawn, and check slope if the yard is hilly. The installation guide covers mapping, and how to choose a robot lawn mower covers sizing.
