Abstract: An autonomous apparatus for automatically cleaning ground areas including various cleaning tools and a control mechanism for directing the apparatus along a prescribed path over a preselected area to be claimed in response to the execution of a series of instructions stored in a computer memory or the apparatus. The control mechanism includes a sensor for detecting proximity of the apparatus to a fixed reference point for initiating execution of the series of instructions, and a positioning system for determining the instantaneous position of the apparatus relative to fixed reference beacons.