Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Golf courses must rake sand bunkers daily to maintain playability, a task that requires significant manual labor, precise timing, and consistent results. Scheduling and labor shortages often lead to uneven bunker conditions, increased costs, and reliance on multiple crew members.
Solution
Uptick delivers an autonomous bunker‑raking system that performs nightly sand maintenance without human intervention. The robot is initially mapped using a single site visit with RTK GPS (1 cm accuracy) and LIDAR terrain scanning, after which precise raking routes are programmed. Course managers can start or adjust runs by sending plain‑text SMS commands, and the robot navigates each bunker using AI‑driven vision, depth cameras, and a tracked drive system that leaves no marks. After each pass, the system transmits real‑time condition data, enabling managers to monitor bunker health and verify consistent raking across the entire course.
Target Audience
Primary customers are golf course superintendents and grounds‑keeping managers responsible for bunker maintenance at 18‑hole courses, particularly those seeking to reduce labor costs and improve consistency.
Features
- Centimeter‑accurate RTK GPS positioning combined with LIDAR mapping for repeatable edge‑to‑edge bunker routes
- AI vision and depth‑camera integration to detect obstacles, sand depth, and edge boundaries in any lighting condition
- Low‑pressure tracked drive system that moves without damaging turf or sand surfaces
- Adjustable smart raking heads with configurable tine depth and pattern for different sand types
- Fully autonomous operation with auto‑charging dock, eliminating the need for on‑site supervision
- Plain‑text SMS interface for simple, on‑demand control of raking schedules
- Real‑time telemetry and condition reporting after each run for course‑wide visibility