Orientation sensing for a lawnmower

A method of controlling a lawnmower, the method comprising:

• receiving, with a controller of the lawnmower and from an inertial measurement device of the lawnmower, data indicative of an orientation of a housing of the lawnmower, the lawnmower including:
• one or more cutting blades,
• a motor configured to rotate the one or more cutting blades, and
• a handle extending from the housing and configured to be manipulated by a user during operation of the lawnmower;
• determining, with the controller, a three-dimensional position of the housing based on the data, wherein the three-dimensional position of the housing indicates whether the orientation of the housing is desirable for operation of the lawnmower and whether the lawnmower is in a storage position that is undesirable for operation of the lawnmower, wherein in the storage position the handle is folded towards the housing of the lawnmower or the housing is tilted on its side;
• and
• preventing or stopping, with the controller, operation in response to determining that the lawnmower is in the storage position.

A lawnmower comprising:

• a housing;
• one or more cutting blades;
• a motor configured to rotate the one or more cutting blades;
• a handle extending from the housing and configured to be manipulated by a user during operation of the lawnmower;
• an inertial measurement device configured to generate data indicative of an orientation of the housing;
• and
• a controller connected to the motor and to the inertial measurement device, the controller configured to:
• receive, from the inertial measurement device, the data indicative of the orientation of the housing,
• determine the orientation of the housing based on the data, wherein the orientation of the housing indicates whether the orientation of the housing is desirable for operation of the lawnmower or whether the lawnmower is in a storage position, wherein in the storage position the handle is folded towards the housing of the lawnmower or the housing is tilted on its side;
• and
• control the lawnmower to be in one of a plurality of states based on the orientation of the housing.