Smart Obstacle Avoidance: How Raccoon 2 SE’s AI Vision & Bumper Sensors Keep Your Garden Safe — A Deep Dive

Nathan L. - 2025/12/24

One of the standout smart features of the Raccoon 2 SE is its AI-powered obstacle avoidance system, designed to help the mower navigate safely and autonomously through your lawn, even in gardens with many toys, furniture, pets, and more. This article dives deep into how Raccoon 2 SE's obstacle avoidance works. Keep reading to find out what makes Raccoon 2 SE different!

How Smart Obstacle Avoidance Works

Raccoon 2 SE uses a combination of AI vision and bumper sensors to detect and avoid obstacles in real time.

AI Vision:

Cameras powered by artificial intelligence that recognizes objects in the mower’s path and adjusts its route to go around them.

Bumper Sensors:

Physical sensors that act as a backup layer of object detection. If the mower gets too close to something, it stops and redirects.

The system is designed to stop instantly if lifted or tilted, contributing to a safer mowing experience for people, pets, and garden fixtures.

What Can It Actually Avoid

Through rigorous testing, extensive beta trials, and real-world reviewer evaluations across a wide range of scenarios, Raccoon 2 SE can now avoid over 300 common garden obstacles. Here are some examples:

•       People and pets:

Dogs, cats, hedgehog, rabbits, children playing nearby etc.

(RoboUP Tested, Beta Tested)

•       Garden furniture:

Chairs, tables, loungers etc.

(RoboUP Tested, Beta Tested, Reviewed by Notebookcheck)

•       Toys and sports equipment:

Balls, playsets, outdoor games etc.

(RoboUP Tested, Beta Tested, Reviewed by Basic Tutorials)

•       Decorative objects:

Pots, buckets, ornaments etc.

(RoboUP Tested, Beta Tested, Reviewed by Basic Tutorials)

•       Soft obstacles:

Fallen leaves, small branches etc.

(RoboUP Tested, Beta Tested)

•       Structural features:

Trees, garden edges, narrow paths etc.

(RoboUP Tested, Beta Tested)

This broad set of recognized obstacles contributes to a mower that can detect people and pets and adjust its route to avoid them, navigate around lawn furniture and toys without human intervention and recognize dead-end areas or tight spaces and reorient itself to continue mowing.

Positive Feedback: What Works Well

Many early reviewers and beta testers report that the obstacle avoidance system indeed helps the Raccoon 2 SE navigate typical backyard objects:

1.     Users have noted that the mower can recognize and steer around larger obstacles such as garden furniture and even active pets, demonstrating real-time response from the vision system. (PR Newswire)

2.     The mower relies on its AI vision and doesn’t need boundary wires, it starts mowing quickly, and the avoidance system activates immediately without complex calibration.

3.     Some site tests show that the mower can define lawn edges and obstacles reasonably well, helping it avoid crossing into non-lawn areas when the environment is clearly separated.

4.     In tests, the mower has been observed to recognize dead ends or blocked paths and find a way out without requiring manual intervention, thanks to its navigation logic. (Basic Tutorials)

How It Compares to Traditional Systems

Traditional boundary systems, such as perimeter wires or RTK/GPS systems, give precise containment but require installation effort and hardware. The Raccoon 2 SE instead leans fully on visual AI and sensors for a more user-friendly experience.

This means:

•       No perimeter wires to install or bury

•       No reliance on satellite signals or base stations

•       Plug-and-play usability for common lawn layouts

For small gardens under the recommended coverage, this makes the mowing experience both accessible and largely safe, with the hope that future firmware updates will continue improving obstacle recognition and navigation precision.

What This Means for You

Raccoon 2 SE's obstacle avoidance delivers a modern, wire-free, AI-driven approach that suits many homeowners with small lawns. It strikes a strong balance between ease of use and smart navigation, allowing owners to walk away while the mower handles everything.

Grab Yours on Kickstarter — Final Days

Available now on Kickstarter, Raccoon 2 SE comes with a limited-time Christmas Bundle for $406 (total value $688), including 24 free blades and 5 ground stakes, saving you $282.

The Kickstarter campaign ends December 27.

Once it’s over, this bundle and all special pricing disappear. Quantities are limited, and time is running out.

Back Raccoon 2 SE on Kickstarter now and secure your Christmas Bundle before the campaign ends.

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