For any driving range, ball collection is one of the most time-consuming and repetitive jobs on the daily maintenance list – and one that pulls staff away from work that adds value for members and visitors. Wayrobo’s WayPick 2 robotic ball picker is designed to take that task off the to-do list entirely.
Set-and-forget autonomy
WayPick 2 is built for genuine “zero human intervention” operation. Powered by a high-capacity lithium battery, it delivers up to 10 hours of continuous running between charges, covering up to 50,000 square metres of range and collecting as many as 40,000 balls in a single day. Using integrated GNSS RTK and inertial navigation, it accurately tracks its own position and keeps working even through brief signal loss under tree cover. Once its basket is full, it automatically docks at the unloading point to empty itself and carries on – no staff involvement required at any stage.
Time and money back for the club
That autonomy translates directly into savings. Wayrobo estimates clubs can save up to Ā£30,000 annually in labour costs, with zero overtime pay needed to keep the range clear. Freed from ball-picking duties, staff can focus on higher-value work – course presentation, member service or other tasks that actually benefit from a human touch. The battery-powered system also cuts fuel costs and emissions compared with traditional tractor-based collection.
A better experience for golfers
Because WayPick 2 can operate at night – using LiDAR, GNSS and headlights to work reliably in the dark – ball collection doesn’t have to interrupt daytime play at all. That means a consistently well-stocked, tidy range for members and visitors, with less downtime for maintenance and lower demand for spare ball inventory. The robot’s anti-projectile structure and advanced obstacle avoidance, combining LiDAR and binocular vision with automatic emergency braking, mean it can work safely even while golfers are present.
Smart, flexible operation
WayPick 2 “thinks” like a human range manager: its 180Ā° binocular camera scans ball density across the range and prioritises collection routes accordingly, while a voice-controlled AI assistant lets staff issue commands in plain language. Range managers can mark hot zones for priority collection, set temporary no-go areas around tee boxes or bunkers, and choose between efficiency-focused or turf-protection modes depending on what the course needs that day. Multiple units can also run as a coordinated fleet across larger sites without staff needing to manage their routes manually.
The result is a system built to quietly take one of the range’s most labour-intensive jobs off staff’s hands – freeing up time, cutting costs, and keeping the range in top shape for the people who use it.
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