EGO Power+ Aura R2: Review of the Lawn Mower Robot with Triple Camera and Path IQ Technology
EGO Power+
EGO Power+ is a brand that hardly needs an introduction in the world of battery-powered garden tools. However, its line of lawn mower robots may be less known compared to leaf blowers or chainsaws. With the Aura R2 – the model for up to 1500 m² – we had the opportunity to understand if the brand can maintain its promises in this segment as well. The answer, as we anticipate, is almost always yes. As always, you can find everything in our dedicated video:
Unboxing and First Look
The Aura R2 package consists of three boxes: a main one with the robot and the charging base, and two smaller ones containing the telescopic pole with ground pegs and the external antenna, a fundamental part of the positioning technology, as we'll see later. The charging base comes pre-assembled in one piece, which is not a given in this product category.
The complete package includes:
- Aura R2 Robot with pre-installed blades
- Stylish charging base with power supply (no anonymous brick for once)
- Cable to connect power supply and base
- External RTK antenna with wall bracket and related power cable
- Telescopic pole with ground stake (an alternative to the bracket)
- Cable pegs, screws, and spare blades
A detail worth highlighting: the connecting cable is a simple flat electrical wire, not a proprietary sealed cable. Anyone with a bit of electrical knowledge can easily extend it.
Design: EGO Never Disappoints on Aesthetics
The Aura R2 is aesthetically one of the best-looking robots we’ve seen in its range. The futuristic lines, the contrasting colors with green finishes, the front and top lights – it’s clear that EGO applies the same design philosophy across its entire range, including the batteries. Speaking of batteries: the Aura R2 has a dedicated battery and is not interchangeable with other EGO tools.
Functionally, the rear wheels are particularly large compared to most robots in this category, made of rubberized material that ensures traction even on uneven surfaces. The two front omnidirectional wheels (not a trivial detail) are also slightly rubberized, which improves maneuvering stability. Underneath, there’s a protective disk that shields the rotating plate where the blades are actually mounted: a solution that reduces the risk of damage if it accidentally encounters obstacles at ground level.
The only aesthetic note is regarding the display: it lacks a protective cover, so over time exposure to the elements could leave some marks.
Path IQ Technology and the RTK System: How It Really Works
The heart of the Aura R2 is the navigation system, which EGO calls Path IQ. Unlike traditional robots that navigate with a perimeter wire, or more recent ones that use only artificial vision, the Aura R2 combines three distinct technologies to achieve centimeter-level positioning.
The three front cameras detect obstacles, recognize the surrounding environment, and calculate real-time movements, even in low-light conditions thanks to dedicated front lights.
The internal GPS provides the robot's base position. However, a standard GPS signal alone has an accuracy of a few meters – enough for road navigation, but certainly not sufficient for mowing grass in parallel lines just a few centimeters apart.
This is where the third component comes into play: the external RTK antenna (Real Time Kinematic). RTK is a differential satellite positioning technique: the antenna, installed in a fixed location with good sky visibility, receives the same GPS signals as the robot and calculates real-time corrections to apply. These corrections are transmitted to the robot, which uses them to compensate for all atmospheric and geometric errors in the signal. The result is a declared accuracy – and verified – of the order of centimeter precision.
This technology is borrowed from the professional world of topographic surveying and precision agriculture. It’s not the newest on the domestic robot market, but it has a huge advantage: it has been proven for decades under conditions far more challenging than a private garden.
Installation requires some attention: the rear panel of the base must be opened by unscrewing four screws to connect the two cables (one for power, one for the antenna), and the RTK bracket installation requires a Torx screwdriver and a bit of patience. Nothing complex, but some quick attachments instead of screws would have made everything more immediate.
Installation and Mapping
Before starting mapping, the EGO Connect app guides you step by step through the setup. The robot automatically added itself to the app as soon as it was placed on the base – no manual procedures needed. Connectivity options include: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and integrated 4G, the latter especially useful for remote control in gardens with poor Wi-Fi coverage.
The RTK antenna should be positioned with good sky visibility. In our test case, the bracket was temporarily secured with zip ties on a pole, with the antenna slightly tilted: the app still gave the go-ahead. If wall mounting isn’t feasible, the telescopic pole with ground stake allows you to place the antenna in the garden center; cable pegs then allow you to run the power cable flush with the ground, where over time it becomes practically buried under vegetation debris.
A noteworthy detail about the base location: during the test it was necessary to move it out of the patio coverage (although semi-transparent) because the GPS signal was insufficient. Once outdoors, everything functioned without issues.
Mapping occurs via a virtual joystick on the app: you guide the robot along the perimeter of the area to be mowed, also defining any excluded zones. The cutting height is adjustable from 20 mm to 90 mm, one of the widest ranges in the category. For the first cuts, we chose maximum precision mode, which slightly slows down the robot but ensures more meticulous work.
Cutting: Results and Weak Points
The first cut took about an hour for our test lawn. The Aura R2 first performs a double pass along the perimeter – first in one direction, then the opposite slightly inward – and only afterward tackles the main cut perpendicular to the long side. This choice differs from many competitors that handle the edge at the end.
During the test, the robot reached 25% battery (due to our mistake; we had not charged it fully) and autonomously returned to the base for charging, then resumed on its own once the charge level was sufficient, obviously picking up where it left off. An unintentional test, but significant.
The result after several sessions – with varying cut directions (perpendicular, crossed, diagonal at 45°) – is a uniform lawn at about 5.5 cm, with clearly visible parallel lines. The strengths are evident on the edges: RTK precision allows it to get down to the edge of the perimeter, with only 3-4 cm of uncut grass in hedge areas, or slightly more near walls, as happens with almost all robots lacking a lateral trimmer.
The weak points are equally clear:
- Around the vertical stakes, there remains a circle of uncut grass with a slightly excessive radius.
- Near the central tree, there is a small triangular uncut area in a specific spot, likely related to how the robot manages its trajectory around the obstacle.
- Near pots and irregular obstacles, about 10 cm of grass is left in corner points.
Nothing that isn't found in other robots in the same category, but it's worth knowing. For precise touch-ups, the manual control mode with a virtual joystick allows you to activate the blade remotely, turning the robot into a remote-controlled mower for small targeted interventions.
EGO Connect App
The interface is clean and functional. From the main screen, you can access:
- One-time or weekly scheduling for cutting.
- Calling the robot back to the base.
- Setting the cutting mode (precision or standard).
- Global or individual area cutting height settings on the map.
- Managing cutting directions: an interactive compass allows you to activate or deactivate individual directions, which the robot alternates autonomously in subsequent sessions.
- Rain sensor activation/deactivation, warning sounds, and lights.
- Manual control with joystick.
- Safety settings: PIN, theft alarm, firmware updates.
The main screen shows real-time Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, and 4G signals – useful for checking reception quality before starting a cut.
Prices and Range
The Aura R2 is available in three variants:
| Model | Covered Area | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Aura R2 | up to 1,500 m² | €2,099 |
| Aura R2 | up to 3,000 m² | €2,499 |
| Aura R2 | up to 6,000 m² | €3,749 |
Main Technical Specifications
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Maximum Area | up to 1,500 m² (tested model) |
| Cutting Height | 20 mm – 90 mm |
| Navigation System | GPS + external RTK antenna + 3 front cameras |
| Path IQ Technology | Path management with assisted vision navigation and centimeter positioning |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, integrated 4G |
| Control App | EGO Connect, with scheduling, map management, and manual control |
| Charging | Automatic, with autonomous return to base |
The tested model (RMR1500E for 1500 m²) is available for €2,099 in major online and physical stores. This price aligns with direct competitors, justified by a positioning system that, while not the latest on the market, demonstrates that it works exactly as promised – to the centimeter, not just on paper.
Once again, we conclude a test with a decidedly positive result, and with very few critical points. EGO Power+ remains a reliable choice regarding technology and quality, but in this case, it was reasonable to have doubts about a sector that is not the brand’s strong point. Instead, the Aura R2 performed excellently, confirming the ease of installation of these products, along with an intuitive and straightforward app to understand. Furthermore, a potential customer could already use the same app for other tools, thus finding all products contained within a single ecosystem.