🎯 What is a robotic line marker ?
Line marking robots are autonomous or semi-autonomous machines designed to paint or mark lines on various surfaces such as roads, sports pitches, car parks, and industrial floors. These robots are equipped with sensors, GPS technology, and precise painting technology to ensure accurate and consistent marking. Otherwise they share much of their basic technology, pump, nozzles etc with a standard spray line marker.
For the purposes of this card, we will be explaining how fully autonomous robotic line markers work.
🗝️Key Features
Autonomy: They can mark pitches without a human operator once programmed and set up.
Precision: Using advanced sensors and GPS, they can mark lines with high accuracy to within +/-1cm
Efficiency: They are particularly useful when initial marking pitches working significantly faster than human operators.
Versatility: Line marking robots can handle different types of surfaces and markings, from football pitches, to athletics tracks, American Football fields etc. Some offer numbering, lettering stencils, logos and more.
👉How do they work?
Robotic line markers rely on GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) which is an enhanced version of GPS (Global Positioning System) used by many devices that we take for granted such as smart watches and mobile phones.
➡️ However GNSS signal from satellites can sometimes have interference. A simple change of weather can cause clouds to disturb the signal sent to the line marker, so GPS markers use something called RTK (real-time kinematics). RTK receivers take in the normal signals from GNSS but with a correction stream which allows accuracy to within 1cm.
➡️ RTK either works from an on site base station that can either be installed as a permanent fixture or be portable and the other option is to subscribe to the CORS (Continually Operating Reference Station) network.
➡️ As a rule a locally installed or portable base station will be receiving its correction stream based on data from your site giving optimal accuracy and reducing the risk of interference whereas reliance on the CORS network may be absolutely fine but does depend on the distance from your nearest CORS and how strong that networks signal is which potentially has more margin for error. The benefit of relying on the CORS network is that you do not have to set up a portable base station each time you mark out. Portable base stations must be placed in the exact same location which is usually achieved by a socket in the ground.
🔧 How are they operated?
👉 Operation of robotic line markers is typically via a tablet that allows operators to design and input the layout of the pitches to be marked.
👉 Software often includes templates for standard sports fields and other common layouts.
👉 The tablet will tell you how much battery remains aswell as how much time it will take for the robot to mark the selected pitch.
👉 The pump, nozzle and paint technology is similar to pedestrian spray markers, robotic liner markers can typically accommodate 10 or 20L containers.
What are the benefits?
✅ Autonomous or semi-autonomous operation.
✅ Consistent, accurate lines every time. (there can be a +/-1cm drift).
✅ Huge time savings on initial marking out from scratch versus a pedestrian operator.
✅ A robotic line marker will on average take around 25-30 minutes to overmark a full-size pitch which again represents time saved versus a pedestrian operator using strings for accuracy and a spray line marker.
✅ No more worries about losing pitch markings that can lead to operators burning in pitch markings despite this being poor practice.
✅ Frees up time to allow operators to carry out other tasks such as mowing, goal area repair etc.
✅ Available to purchase outright or via a monthly lease or subscription model.
Points to consider…
📌 High capital cost versus a pedestrian operated spray marker.
📌 If you don’t string your pitches out you may not notice much gain in time however the big win here is being able to carry out other maintenance tasks whilst the robotic liner marker is in operation.
📌 Battery charge can be a factor if marking out multiple pitches in a day at the very least one battery should be charging whilst the other is operating the machine aswell and similar consideration will be needed if using a version with an on site base station.
📌 Robotic line markers are not monitoring free! Robotic line markers can struggle and get stuck on muddy ground, get stranded in low spots, and grass clumps can also cause issues.
📌 The machine will not notify you if it runs out of paint so this has to be monitored also.
📌 If using an on site base station an estimated 15-20 minutes is needed to set the machine and hardware up before beginning marking.
📌 If an issue arises and marking has to be paused the marker will remark a whole line, not resume from where it stopped.
📌 Line accuracy can be impacted by the nap of the grass.
Tips before purchasing…
💡 Always have a thorough on site demonstration and if you have site specific complexities like a tree lined site or lines under tree canopy ensure this is thoroughly tested during the demonstration.
💡 Consider which RTK technology is appropriate for your site and location, is access to the CORS network adequate or will an on site base station be necessary.
💡 If you are using a base station check what the operating range is from the robotic liner marker.
💡 How many batteries will you need?
💡 Do you have enough pitches to justify use and cost of a robotic line marker?
