A robot lawnmower has left an amateur soccer club in northwestern Germany without a playing field after biting off more than it could mow. The robotic mower — dubbed “Robby” by members of the SG Egels-Poppens club — got stuck in wet ground and dug up the playing surface. A round of drenching rain made the ground so wet that the sensors on Robby malfunctioned, causing the robot to become stuck. That means the club’s teams will be unable to play matches on the field until spring, when new grass can be sowed or turf laid. At its annual meeting, the soccer club discussed the poor drainage on the field and possible alternatives. The club is hoping to replace the field with artificial turf, which will be much cheaper to maintain.
