Domestic robotic system and method

A garden-based robotic system including a robot and data storage operable to store data defining a boundary of a working area within a garden, the robot comprising:

• a payload actuable to perform work on a portion of the garden adjacent the robot;
• one or more positioning systems;
• at least one processor;
• wherein the at least one processor is programmed to operate in modes comprising:
• (i) a perimeter coverage mode, wherein the at least one processor causes the robot to move around the working area with said payload active such that, according to said one or more positioning systems, the robot remains within a perimeter area, which is adjacent to and generally follows the boundary of the working area;
• and
• (ii) an internal area coverage mode, wherein the at least one processor causes the robot to move around the working area with said payload active such that, according to data received from said one or more positioning systems and said data defining the boundary of the working area, the robot remains within an interior area, which is defined so as to be generally located within said perimeter area;
• wherein an accuracy of said one or more positioning systems during said perimeter coverage mode is greater than an accuracy of said one or more positioning systems during said internal area coverage mode;
• wherein said at least one processor is further programmed such that the interior area approaches to or overlaps with said perimeter area sufficiently to substantially avoid gaps between an area that is in practice covered by said payload during said internal area coverage mode, taking into account said accuracy of the one or more positioning systems during said internal area coverage mode, and an area that is in practice covered by said payload during said perimeter coverage mode, taking into account said accuracy of the one or more positioning systems during said perimeter coverage mode;
• and
• wherein said at least one processor is further programmed such that said interior area is defined so as to be sufficiently distant from said boundary of the working area to substantially avoid the robot in practice moving beyond the boundary during said internal area coverage mode, taking into account the accuracy of said one or more positioning systems during said internal area coverage mode.