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Alistair Francis reverse-engineered the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) protocol used by the Husqvarna Automower 305 and built the AutoMower-BLE Python library. What began as a project for controlling a mower without Wi-Fi, cellular service, or Husqvarna’s cloud has since become a built-in Home Assistant integration. Owners can control a supported mower locally, provided Home Assistant has a Bluetooth adapter or a suitably placed Bluetooth proxy and the mower is properly paired.
An offline mower that still has Bluetooth
The Automower 305 discussed in Francis’s project does not offer Wi-Fi, cellular, or cloud connectivity. It does, however, have Bluetooth Low Energy, which enables a nearby phone to communicate with it. That distinction opened a path to local smart-home control: the mower need not reach the internet if Home Assistant can reach it over Bluetooth.
In this setup, “local” means the control link runs between the mower and a nearby Bluetooth adapter or proxy, with Home Assistant handling the integration. It does not provide internet-based control when the local network is down, and Bluetooth range remains a practical constraint. The local implementation does not require a Husqvarna account or cloud connection, but it is not the same as an official, vendor-supported cloud service.
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How the reverse engineering worked
Francis set out to understand the BLE exchanges between the Automower and Husqvarna’s Android app. The historical account describes using an nRF52840 dongle to capture Bluetooth traffic and Wireshark to inspect it. Because the traffic was encrypted, he reset the mower and phone pairings and captured a new pairing exchange. According to the write-up, that allowed Wireshark to obtain the legacy Bluetooth encryption key and decrypt the captured traffic.
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He also decompiled the Android application and examined its Java code to understand how it generated and transmitted BLE packets. This combination of packet capture and application analysis helped him build a Python library capable of communicating with the mower. The account describes a specific reverse-engineering process; it should not be read as a general claim about the security of current Husqvarna apps, other mower models, or Bluetooth devices.
The resulting technical write-up and AutoMower-BLE project made the protocol work usable without requiring ordinary Home Assistant users to repeat the packet-sniffing investigation.
From a personal library to a built-in integration
AutoMower-BLE is an unofficial, open-source Python library for communicating with Automowers locally. Its package description identifies the Automower 305 as the model it was developed and tested against. It suggests that other models may work, but that is not equivalent to verified compatibility across every Automower generation or regional revision. Check current reports for your exact model before relying on it.
Home Assistant added its built-in Husqvarna Automower BLE integration in version 2024.11. The integration is documented as local polling: Home Assistant communicates with the mower over Bluetooth rather than retrieving mower data through Husqvarna’s cloud. The current setup path is in Home Assistant’s integration documentation.
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The built-in integration is now the natural starting point for most Home Assistant users. The original library remains relevant for people building their own Python tools or investigating the protocol, but the original nRF52840 capture equipment is not a requirement for a normal integration setup.
What you need before pairing
- A supported mower: The project was tested on the Automower 305. Treat compatibility with other models as unconfirmed unless current reports or documentation verify yours.
- Home Assistant with a Bluetooth path to the mower: This can be a Bluetooth controller available to the Home Assistant host or an ESPHome Bluetooth proxy.
- Reliable placement: If the server is indoors or far from the garden, a proxy near the mower’s charging area may provide a more dependable connection. Walls, metal structures, distance, and antenna placement all affect BLE reception.
- The mower’s Bluetooth MAC address: Home Assistant may ask for it during setup. The official instructions describe ways to locate it, including ESPHome logs or a Bluetooth-scanning phone.
An ESPHome Bluetooth proxy relays Bluetooth access to Home Assistant over the local network; it does not give the mower internet access. The ESPHome documentation explains the proxy platform. You generally do not need to buy a separate proxy if the Home Assistant host already has a reliable Bluetooth connection to the mower.
Set up the Automower 305 in Home Assistant
- Confirm Bluetooth coverage. Check that Home Assistant can use a Bluetooth adapter, or install and configure an ESPHome Bluetooth proxy within reliable range of the mower. Start with one known-good Bluetooth path if you have several adapters or proxies.
- Find the mower’s Bluetooth MAC address. Use the Home Assistant integration instructions, ESPHome logs, or a phone-based Bluetooth scanner. A device appearing in a scan does not mean it is paired or ready for control.
- Reboot or power on the 305 just before setup. Home Assistant documents a three-minute pairing window for the Automower 305 after power-on. Have the integration screen ready so you can work within that window.
- Open the integration flow. In Home Assistant, go to Settings → Devices & services → Add Integration, search for Husqvarna Automower BLE, and select it.
- Enter the MAC address and complete pairing. Follow the prompts while the mower is discoverable. Home Assistant cautions that the mower must be paired, not merely visible or connected. If pairing fails, reboot the mower and try again.
- Check the resulting device and entities. Confirm that setup completed and review the controls and state information your installed version exposes. Test a command only when it is safe for the mower to act.
The three-minute period is the documented pairing window for the 305, not a general statement about every Automower model. If your model behaves differently, follow the model-specific guidance rather than assuming the 305 timing applies.
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The integration is intended to make local mower control and state information available in Home Assistant. Depending on the installed Home Assistant version and the underlying library, available controls may include starting or resuming mowing, pausing, or returning the mower to its base; battery and operating-state information may also be exposed.
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Do not assume the integration mirrors every feature in Husqvarna’s official app. Scheduling, configuration, detailed error information, firmware management, and other app functions may not be exposed. Feature availability can change as Home Assistant and AutoMower-BLE evolve. Check the device’s actual entities and the current integration documentation before designing automations around a particular control.
Troubleshooting by symptom
The mower is not discovered
Move the proxy or Bluetooth adapter closer to the mower’s charging area and try again after rebooting the mower. Make sure you are searching during the 305’s documented pairing window. A scan from a phone can help distinguish a range problem from a Home Assistant setup problem.
The mower appears, but setup or commands fail
Detection is not pairing. Repeat the integration flow and complete pairing while the mower is discoverable. If the first attempt fails, Home Assistant recommends rebooting the mower and trying again. Check that you entered the correct MAC address.
Authentication fails or Home Assistant cannot find a backend
Multiple adapters or proxies can complicate which Bluetooth backend handles the connection. Community issue reports include authentication failures and errors where no available backend can reach the address. For diagnosis, temporarily reduce the setup to one known-good adapter or proxy, put the mower near it, and reload or reconfigure the integration. Once a single-path setup is stable, add other Bluetooth hardware back one piece at a time.
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The connection is intermittent through a proxy
Improve the proxy’s placement before changing software. A proxy near the charging station may work better than one inside the house behind walls or metalwork. Check power, network stability, and antenna position. If a direct adapter works but a proxy does not, focus troubleshooting on the proxy path rather than assuming the mower protocol is at fault.
It stopped working after an update
Home Assistant, ESPHome, Bluetooth components, and the Python dependency can change independently. A reported ESPHome update caused failures for at least one Automower BLE installation; that report does not establish that every installation was affected. Record working versions, update one component at a time, and check current integration issue reports before making changes during a period when you depend on the mower. Keep a practical rollback plan.
Do not copy installation commands, Python requirements, or automation service names from an older post without checking the release you intend to use. Package requirements and integration behavior are version-sensitive, and the built-in Home Assistant route does not require a user to manually install the Python package.
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The built-in BLE integration is the most direct route for a Home Assistant user seeking local control. It avoids cloud dependence but relies on short-range Bluetooth, successful pairing, and a compatible software stack.
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Direct Python use of AutoMower-BLE may suit developers who want custom scripts or a standalone service rather than Home Assistant entities. Follow the current repository and package instructions; requirements differ by release.
A Raspberry Pi and MQTT bridge is another community-developed architecture. It can place a dedicated BLE client near the mower and forward data to the rest of a smart home, but it is a third-party alternative rather than Home Assistant’s documented built-in path. One example is the community Husqvarna Automower BLE project.
Official connected Automower services may be preferable if your model supports them and you want vendor-backed features or remote access. Availability and connectivity options vary by mower, market, and service. Do not infer that the 305 has those capabilities simply because another Automower does.
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This approach is a good fit for an owner who already runs Home Assistant, wants local control without a cloud account, can provide dependable Bluetooth coverage, and is comfortable with occasional troubleshooting. It is a poor fit if you need control from outside the local network, expect full official-app parity, require vendor support, or cannot tolerate an unofficial protocol and model-dependent compatibility.
As with any remote start or schedule, build automations around safe operation. Do not start mowing based only on presence or a time trigger if people, pets, or obstacles may be in the cutting area. Local connectivity makes control possible; it does not replace supervision or the mower’s safety procedures.
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