Smarter robotics for golf course autonomy, no base station required

In the world of autonomous golf course management, accuracy is king, and for manufacturers of robotic golf course mowers and ball pickers, the pressure to deliver precise, cost-effective, and scalable positioning technology is seen as the key to unlocking the full potential of the market.
 

While traditional RTK GNSS systems have been the standard for high-precision navigation, they come with significant infrastructure, cost, and complexity. Enter PointPerfect by u-blox, an RTK correction service designed to disrupt the status quo.
 

For manufacturers looking to stay ahead, integrate smarter tech, and offer their customers greater ROI, PointPerfect is the future-ready positioning solution that gives market advantage.

                              Learn how to get started with PointPerfect here

 

The Challenge with Traditional RTK GNSS

Traditional RTK systems require a dedicated base station or a custom configuration to a local correction service for accuracy. This means:

• High upfront investment in hardware
• Intensive setup and calibration
• Coverage limited to base station range (danger of no coverage zones)
• Complex ongoing maintenance
• Costly scalability for large or multi-zone golf courses

These barriers not only slow down deployments but also limit your customer's ability to scale their autonomous mowing or ball collection operations efficiently.

Key Benefits for OEMs and Robotics Manufacturers:

• No Base Station Required
  Reduce hardware and simplify setup by eliminating local base station dependencies.
• Centimeter-Level Accuracy
  PointPerfect rivals RTK performance with 1–2 cm precision if needed.
• Uniform coverage
  Across wide areas makes it ideal for large courses or multi-location deployments.
• Usage-Based Pricing
  Flexible subscription plans allow you or your customers to pay only for what they use—perfect for seasonal demand cycles.
• Retrofit Ready
  Easily integrate PointPerfect with existing mowers or ball-pickers equipped with compatible GNSS RTK receivers, saving on R&D and fleet replacement costs.
• Faster Time-to-Market
  With a simplified correction delivery model, your systems are easier to deploy, sell, and support.

Retrofit and Revolutionize Existing Systems

Retrofitting is often a barrier to innovation, but PointPerfect solves that. Compatible with any high-precision GNSS RTK receiver, PointPerfect can be integrated into both new and legacy robotic platforms. This means:

• No need to redesign your entire product line
• Offer upgrade paths to existing customers
• Enable fast market adoption with minimal technical overhead

 

Whether you're developing fairway mowers or autonomous ball-picking systems, this backward-compatible flexibility gives your brand a major advantage.

 

The Growing Market for Robotics in the Golf Course & Landscaping Industry

Robin Li, Founder of Canadian-based XeraTech Robotics a company that focuses on delivering global robotics solutions for the golf industry said, “We have begun rolling out PointPerfect as alternative to our traditional base station based RTK offering as it gives us greater flexibility in our deployments, it is easier to manage and the pricing model is very competitive. We believe that PointPerfect will help us meet the growing global demand for on course robotic solutions.” 

As more golf course managers seek out plug-and-play, low-maintenance solutions, OEMs that can provide PointPerfect-powered systems will have a significant edge.

Side-by-Side: Traditional RTK GNSS vs PointPerfect 

Feature	Traditional RTK GNSS	PointPerfect (u-blox)
Base station needed	Yes	No
Initial setup cost	High	Low
Maintenance requirements	Ongoing	Minimal
Coverage range	Local	Wide-area (satellite/IP)
Integration complexity	Moderate to high	Plug & play for GNSS OEMs
Retrofit capability	Limited	Yes

 

The opportunity: Position your robotic product line for the future

For robotic mower and ball-picker manufacturers, PointPerfect is more than just a positioning tool - it’s a product advantage. With reduced costs, easier integration, and greater reliability, you can develop smarter systems that offer more value to your customers.
By adopting PointPerfect, you enable:

• Easier deployments (retro fit available)
• Better user experience
• Lower lifetime costs
• Greater ROI for golf clubs and course managers

Explore PointPerfect today at u-blox.com
Learn about golf course robotics solutions at https://www.xeratechrobotics.com/