If you are shopping for a wire-free robot mower, there is a good chance the box contains more than a mower and a charging dock. Many systems that rely on satellite positioning also include a separate antenna or reference station, and it has to go somewhere.
This is the requirement buyers most often discover after ordering.
What the hardware does
Satellite positioning on its own is not precise enough to hold a mowing boundary. Part of the error comes from the signal’s journey through the atmosphere, and that error is very similar for two receivers standing close together.
RTK, or real-time kinematic positioning, exploits that. A second receiver sits at a known fixed position, compares where satellites say it is against where it actually is, and broadcasts the difference as a correction. The mower applies that correction to its own reading, cancelling out most of the shared error and arriving at a position precise enough to follow a boundary.
That second receiver is the extra hardware. Some manufacturers call it a reference station, some an antenna, some a base station. What matters for your purposes is that it is a physical object needing a location with a clear view of the sky, and that manufacturers differ in how it is powered and connected — check the installation instructions for the specific model rather than assuming.
Not every wire-free system works this way. Some lean more heavily on cameras or other onboard sensing. The requirement is per-model, not per-category.
Which models say they need one
Positioning hardware requirements, as published
| Model | Needs antenna or base station | Needs a buried wire | Navigation technology |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANTHBOT Genie 1000 | Yes | No | RTK GNSS + Vision |
| ANTHBOT Genie 3000 | Yes | No | RTK GNSS + Vision |
| ANTHBOT Genie 600 | Yes | No | RTK GNSS + Vision |
| Husqvarna Automower 410 iQ | Yes | No | RTK GNSS + Boundary wire |
| Husqvarna Automower 435 iQ AWD | Yes | No | RTK GNSS + Boundary wire |
| Husqvarna Automower 440 iQ | Yes | No | RTK GNSS + Boundary wire |
| Husqvarna Automower 450X EPOS | Yes | No | RTK GNSS |
| Segway Navimow i105 | Yes | No | RTK GNSS + Vision |
| Segway Navimow i110 | Yes | No | RTK GNSS + Vision |
| Segway Navimow X330 | Yes | No | RTK GNSS + Vision |
| Segway Navimow X350 | Yes | No | RTK GNSS + Vision |
| Segway Navimow X390 | Yes | No | RTK GNSS + Vision |
| Yarbo Lawn Mower Module | Yes | No | RTK GNSS + Vision |
Figures come from each manufacturer's own published material. Follow a model link for the exact source and the date it was last checked.
ANTHBOT Genie 1000, ANTHBOT Genie 3000, ANTHBOT Genie 600, Husqvarna Automower 410 iQ, Husqvarna Automower 435 iQ AWD, Husqvarna Automower 440 iQ, Husqvarna Automower 450X EPOS, Segway Navimow i105, Segway Navimow i110, Segway Navimow X330, Segway Navimow X350, Segway Navimow X390 and Yarbo Lawn Mower Module state that they require one.
Of the 17 models we track that can be installed without a buried wire, 13 also require a separate antenna or reference station. The remaining 4 do not state it either way. 13 of the 19 models we track publish whether an antenna or reference station is required.Where a model is blank, the manufacturer has not published a clear statement either way. That is worth asking about before you order, because it changes what installation day looks like.
Questions to answer before you buy
Is there somewhere with a clear view of the sky? Manufacturers generally advise siting the unit away from overhanging structures and dense canopy. A yard ringed by mature trees, or a narrow lot between two tall houses, is worth checking carefully.
Are you allowed to mount it? Renters and homeowners under an HOA should confirm this before ordering. A pole in the lawn and a bracket on a wall are different propositions from a planning standpoint.
How is it powered and connected? This varies between manufacturers. Some units sit near the charging dock, others are designed to be sited independently. Read the installation guide for the model you are considering.
We cannot answer the first question for you, and we deliberately do not try. No manufacturer in our dataset publishes anything that would let us compare models on how well they cope with a poor sky view.
Using this in the selector
The selector asks directly whether you can install an antenna or reference station. Answer no and it rules out every model that states a requirement, naming the constraint rather than silently dropping them — and it tells you which models it could not check because nothing is published.
For a side-by-side view of the boundary and hardware requirements of specific models, use the comparison tool. There is more on the underlying choice in wire-free or buried wire.