© Wasteshark

Created by RanMarine, a Dutch company, the WasteShark takes its inspiration from nature by having a shark like mouth. It is specially developed to collect waste floating on the water surface. Named in the year 2016, this water drone will begin its operation in November a year after its trials with Ecocoast, a local partner.

The WasteShark is currently available in two models. A remote control version and an autonomous one. It measures 5 ft by 3 ft and has the capability of carrying up to 159.6 kgs of waste. Additionally, the WasteShark has a battery life that can last up to 16 hrs. According to a report by the World Economic Forum, as of the year 2016 the amount of plastics polluting the world’s oceans was about 150 million metric tons. A highly cited paper from 2014 states that more than a quarter of a million tones of wastes were afloat throughout the oceans around the world.

The WasteShark offers enormous possibilities by gathering water quality data, and air data in addition to filtering out foreign materials such as arsenic, heavy metals, and oils.  This water drones features a collision avoidance system which utilizes laser imaging detection technology to identify objects along its path. When an object is approaching the drone, the WasteShark is prompted to backup or stop.

Currently, the WasteSharks are being used in South Africa, Netherlands, and Dubai. The autonomous model goes for $23,000 while the remote-controlled model costs $17,000. The Ecocoast Dubai based operator has two drones operating on the Emirates. They will be utilized to clean up the waterfronts of hotels, municipalities and other environmental authorities