Longhua enterprise develops world's 1st robotic snow blower

A subtropical city with an average year-round temperature exceeding 23.3°C, snowfall is virtually unheard of in Shenzhen. Yet, defying geographical logic, a homegrown company in Longhua District has emerged as a global leader by creating the world’s first robotic snow blower.

During a recent press conference on Shenzhen’s sci-tech innovation and talent development ecosystem, the success story of Longhua-based Hanyang Robotics, developer of Yarbo yard robots, was shared.

A user poses for a photo with a Yarbo snow blower. Photos from Hanyang Robotics

Founded in 2015 by overseas returnee Huang Yang, Hanyang Robotics introduced Snowbot, the prototype of Yarbo yard robots, in 2017. This initial model entered the market in 2021 and has since evolved into the Yarbo series after successfully raising over US$3.45 million through a crowdfunding campaign last year.

The inspiration for developing an automated snow blower stemmed from the team’s overseas experiences. “In Minnesota, the U.S., failing to clear snow from sidewalks within four hours can result in a fine of US$500,” explained Cao Limeng, co-founder of Hanyang Robotics. “Yet, statistics reveal that 87% of North American households still rely on gas-powered, injury-prone snowblowers.”

A staffer with Yarbo tests a snow blower in New York, the U.S.

As the world’s first company to achieve industrial-scale production of snow-clearing robots, Hanyang Robotics has revolutionized the U.S. and European residential yard markets. The company secured US$2 million in orders on its product launch day and generated over US$100 million in purchase intent within just four days. Hanyang Robotics also ranked 8th on Brand OS’s global social media influence list for outbound brands.

A Yarbo snow blower in operation.

Each Yarbo snow blower is equipped with a self-developed 600W wireless charging pad that functions reliably in temperatures ranging from -40°C to 85°C. This innovative technology allows the robot to operate for 90 minutes per charge and effectively clear snow up to 30 cm deep in conditions as cold as -25°C.

The Yarbo robot also features an AI-powered modular system, enabling it to switch from a snow blower to other yard-care tools such as a lawn mower or leaf blower. Additional attachments like a weed trimmer, dump cart, and sprinkler further enhance its versatility for year-round yard maintenance.

A Yarbo robot is able to switch between a snow blower, a lawn mower, and a leaf blower by attaching different modules.

Despite Shenzhen’s snow-free climate, Hanyang Robotics established an artificial snow lab at Longhua’s Baoneng Technology Industrial Park to simulate Arctic conditions for local testing. The company also dispatches R&D teams to extreme cold regions such as Hemu in Xinjiang, Mohe in Heilongjiang, and even the U.S. state of Alaska for over six weeks of winter trials each year, according to Cao.

Yarbo team members visit users in Alaska on Dec. 25, 2023.

Cao highlighted that Hanyang Robotics has leveraged government-backed industrial space and facilities in Longhua to advance product development and large-scale testing. The district authorities continue to offer preferential policies to support the company’s growth and the commercialization of its robotic innovations.