Remote-control slope mowing system with safety features

A remote-control mowing system, comprising:

• a mower having
• an engine selectively coupled to mower blades via a power takeoff (PTO) unit,
• a drive system for transporting the mower along terrain,
• a first antenna, and
• a first controller coupled to the PTO unit, the drive system, and the first antenna;
• and
• a remote handheld unit having
• one or more user input device(s) with which a user can issue at least a first command to activate the drive system to move the mower, and a second command to activate the PTO unit,
• an enable switch,
• a second antenna, and
• a second controller coupled to the user input device(s), the enable switch, and the second antenna such that the second controller wirelessly communicates with the first controller;
• wherein the first and second controllers cooperate to
• (a) activate the drive system in response to the first command issued by the user input device(s), but only if a first condition is satisfied, the first condition including activating the enable switch within a specified time before issuing the first command, and/or
• (b) activate the PTO unit in response to the second command issued by the user input device(s), but only if a second condition is satisfied, the second condition including activating the enable switch within the specified time before issuing the second command.

A method of operating a mower system that includes a mower and a remote handheld unit coupled wirelessly to the mower to control the mower's operation, the mower having a drive system, the handheld unit having an enable switch and a motion control user input device, the method comprising:

• sending a wireless enable signal from the handheld unit to the mower in response to activating the enable switch;
• sending a wireless motion command signal from the handheld unit to the mower in response to activating the motion control user input device;
• and
• engaging the drive system to move the mower in accordance with the motion command signal if the enable signal is sent within a specified time before the motion command signal is sent, but not engaging the drive system if the enable signal is not sent within the specified time before the motion command signal is sent.