How FireFly Automatix leveraged Point One's Polaris RTK corrections to revolutionize autonomous mowing

Cut to the chase: FireFly Automatix partnered with Point One Navigation to integrate Polaris RTK corrections network into their autonomous mower, AMP. This tech upgrade delivers centimeter-level precision, allowing for perfectly striped lawns and increased efficiency. The result is a quieter, greener, and more productive mowing solution that saves time and money for FireFly’s customers.

In the world of autonomous technology, precision isn’t just a feature, it’s a necessity. FireFly Automatix, the creators of the AMP™ (Autonomous Mowing Platform), know this better than anyone. Their partnership with Point One Navigation’s Polaris RTK corrections network has taken their cutting-edge robotic mowers to new heights, delivering unparalleled accuracy, efficiency, and reliability. They’re making waves, and perfectly striped fairways, in the world of turf management.

Why RTK matters

Here’s the thing: location data from satellites alone isn’t enough for the kind of precision FireFly demands. Standard GNSS can drift by several feet or even meters, which is [mostly] fine for your phone’s map app but disastrous for a fairway. That’s where Polaris RTK comes in. It leverages satellite data, ground-truthed based stations, and Point One Navigation’s advanced algorithms to deliver RTK corrections, down to the centimeter, in real-time.The result? Uncompromising precision. Polaris RTK corrections ensure that FireFly’s mowers can create those iconic striped patterns on golf courses without overlap, waste, or error. This level of detail doesn’t just look great, it optimizes the entire mowing process, saving time, energy, and resources. But how?

Transforming mowing, one centimeter at a time

For Jeff Miller, Director of Agronomy at The Santaluz Club, precision isn’t optional, it’s how he ensures the golf course he superintends stays pristine no matter when club members tee off. The Santaluz Club in San Diego, CA does this with the help of three all-electric, self-driving AMP mowers from FireFly. The club mows all fairways autonomously and quietly in about 4 hours, saving close to 2,000 work hours annually, leading to financial gains of upwards of $115,000/year and doubling productivity in groundskeeping operations.

Behind every perfect stripe is FireFly’s proprietary QuickPlan™ software, which integrates seamlessly with Point One Navigation’s RTK corrections. QuickPlan allows operators, like Miller, to map the perimeter of a field, select a mowing pattern, and let the AMP take it from there.

FireFly’s AMP mowers are designed to autonomously maintain large green spaces, from championship golf courses to sprawling turf farms. With corrections accurate to within a single centimeter the AMP mowers are not only super precise, but hyper efficient. No need for redos or overlap mowing, just a perfect cut, every time.

Behind the partnership

Every great innovation story has a behind-the-scenes moment. For FireFly, the partnership with Point One began with a simple question: How do we make the best even better? FireFly’s quest for unmatched precision led them to Point One Navigation.

"We needed a solution that could deliver absolute precision in real-world conditions," recalls Mark LeBlanc, FireFly’s lead engineer and product manager for the AMP product line. After exploring their options, it was clear that Point One Navigation had the precision technology needed to complement the autonomous mowers FireFly built from the ground up. Specifically, LeBlanc shares, 

“AMP was engineered to be autonomous from the ground up, giving us invaluable freedom to make electrical and mechanical design decisions that would best complement the autonomy software. We made it all-electric because that allowed us to develop the entire system to achieve better traction, ground clearance, and weight balance, as well as higher torque and precision in both steering and drive systems — all without the limitations of traditional engines and hydraulic systems that have been largely unchanged for decades. In addition, we found that the cut quality is much better because there is no vibration created by an engine or hydraulic system.”

But FireFly didn’t stop there. To further enhance precision, they seamlessly integrated Point One's Polaris RTK corrections into AMP’s ecosystem. Point One’s Polaris RTK corrections fit perfectly into FireFly’s ecosystem, enhancing the AMP’s capabilities to follow precise paths and avoid obstacles with ease, without adding needless complexity. The result? A mower that’s efficient, reliable, and more precise than ever before.

Cool tech, real results

What sets the AMP apart isn’t just its futuristic technology, it’s the tangible benefits it delivers:

• AMP allows golf courses to redeploy their teams to other tasks, nearly doubling productivity.
• As a fully electric mower, the AMP eliminates fuel costs and reduces emissions.
• Whisper-quiet performance means mowing can happen anytime, day or night, without disturbing residents or golfers.

The future of autonomous mowing

The success of the AMP, powered by Point One Navigation, is just the beginning. As autonomous technology continues to evolve, FireFly and Point One are paving the way for smarter, greener, and more efficient solutions across turf management and AgTech.

"This isn’t just about mowing," LeBlanc says. "It’s about redefining what’s possible in turf management and beyond. With partners like Point One, we’re excited to keep pushing the boundaries." For golf courses, turf farms, and green spaces worldwide, the future has never looked more precise—or more exciting.