TurfRobot: Robotics on a roll
Every stadium is unique. Every environment presents its own challenges. And every grounds team has developed its own way of working. But what unites our industry is the drive to improve. How can we do things more sustainably? More efficiently? More effectively? We share that ambition. Innovation is in our DNA, and the development of TurfRobot is our latest answer to the question: how can we improve sustainable pitch management? Scott Bogner, Chief Production & Technology Officer at SGL, played a key role in bringing TurfRobot to life. Together with Scott, we reflect on the highs and lows of the development process, the value of in-house production, and how customer feedback shaped the final product, while also looking ahead to what’s next.
There are some great products out there, but I truly believe we have a unique position to bring technology directly to the customer. This is the future.
From vision to reality
TurfRobot is designed to autonomously and sustainably keep playing surfaces free from grass diseases. It removes a major worry for grounds managers, giving them back valuable time. But innovation rarely follows a straight path, as Scott and his team discovered firsthand.
“Nothing comes without bouncing off the walls, as I like to say,” Scott begins. “Growth can be painful. We were all kids once and got leg cramps. But kids grow into athletes, and athletes have to go through the pain to become elite performers.”
The idea for TurfRobot dates back years. “Back in the day,” Scott recalls, “the idea emerged to automate time-consuming tasks, freeing up valuable time for grounds teams to focus on more complex challenges and enabling them to take the next steps in pitch management. After an extensive design and development process, we’re finally ready to bring TurfRobot to the field.’
As with most new technologies, much of the learning came through trial and error. “You learn as you go. You learn as you hire the right experts.
One of the biggest design decisions was navigation. An important feature for accurate treatment in enclosed stadium environments. “We needed a platform that could report its exact position and treat the pitch based on TurfBase disease forecasts,” says Scott. “It’s several steps above a robot mower, even one that moves in straight lines. A stadium is a very unique environment, and GPS alone doesn’t cut it.”
The team ultimately went for 3D LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), a remote sensing technology that uses laser light to measure distances and create precise three-dimensional maps of the environment. “The stadium environment posed real challenges. LiDAR gave us accurate positioning indoors and enabled obstacle detection, be it a grow lighting rig or someone walking by. That choice was a game-changer. A project like this is full of challenges. You’ve got to stay committed,” Scott says. “That’s a huge credit to the team.”
In-house development & testing
One major reason TurfRobot stands out is the ability to handle software and hardware development entirely in-house, right here, at SGL headquarters in Waddinxveen, the Netherlands. “The advantages of this are hard to overstate. While many rely on external partners, we can pivot quickly, whether it’s a tech advancement, a customer request, or a product update. With external contractors, you submit a scope of work, wait for delivery, approve the result, and pay. We’ve experienced that frustration ourselves, and we’ve learned from it. Doing it in-house allows for faster, more agile development and a stronger sense of ownership.”
To support ongoing innovation, there are plans to build a dedicated robot testing area at our new office, a controlled space where engineers can test features, troubleshoot issues, and simulate real-world challenges. “We’re planning to install a pitch with painted lines and alternate mowing directions to better reflect field conditions. It may not be a full stadium, but it offers a reliable environment to test everything from sloped edges to tight corners.”
The importance of customer feedback
In the development of new products, the input of the people who have to work with this new technology is indispensable. Engineers understand every nuance of a product, but real insight comes when customers start using it. “From the moment grounds teams started using TurfRobot, we gained incredibly valuable feedback. For example, the setup process, how a map is created and how the robot is commissioned, was much improved after watching how customers interacted with it. Based on that, we refined the interface. Today, you can easily drive TurfRobot straight to the pitch and get started.”
Customer input and feedback from the sales team drove several key updates. “One great example is mowing patterns. Customers wanted the robot to follow mowing patterns to reduce visible wheel marks. Our engineers built the feature quickly and rolled it out.”
Zone configuration was another critical learning point. While pitches are typically 105 by 68 meters, the surrounding areas differ widely. “Some stadiums have six meters of flat space. Others have LED boards just 1.5 meters from the pitch. Some stadiums for instance have angled zones right up to the edge These variations taught us the need for flexible zone management and adaptive turning paths,” Scott explains.
“Every deployment, whether it validated our ideas or shifted our priorities, taught us something new. And thanks to our in-house team, we could respond immediately.”
Direct communication played a vital role. “Our engineers stay in close contact with beta customers, often weekly. This direct line between developers and groundskeepers creates fast feedback loops and continuous improvement, something that’s nearly impossible with outsourced development.”
Looking ahead
TurfRobot is more than just a product, it’s the foundation of a modular platform. “That’s where the real potential lies,” Scott explains. “We’re building a platform that can swap modules as needed. Today, it’s a UVC module for pitch treatment. Tomorrow, it might be more than ‘just’ that.”
This modular approach accelerates innovation and reduces cost. “If a new sensor or agronomy tech hits the market, we don’t need to wait. We can integrate it, test it, and deploy it ourselves, gathering data from stadiums around the world. In the past, that kind of flexibility wasn’t possible. Now, with our in-house engineering and modular platform, we’re not just building a robot, we’re building the future of pitch management.”
Introducing TurfRobot: robotic and sustainable solution for grass disease treatment
We’re proud to introduce TurfRobot – the autonomous solution that takes grass disease control to the next level. Using UVC light technology, TurfRobot treats and prevents turf diseases without chemicals, offering a sustainable and highly efficient alternative to traditional methods. It operates independently with minimal manual input, helping grounds teams keep pitches in top condition while reducing environmental impact. This is the future of grass disease control: sustainable, autonomous, and efficient.
