Written By Victoria Oh
Edited By Kapil Ramasubramanian
What is the problem?
Year after year, the earth’s water, whether it be from rivers, oceans, or lakes, gets polluted due to industrial waste, oil spillage, and more. As this problem worsened at a continuous rate, testing and monitoring the water became necessary. However, this requires a person to test the water every day, repeatedly and laboriously; with the utilization of drones, surveying the water can be done with much ease.
How Can Drone Technology Be Used In this Area?
Drones can be deployed instantly to hover to locate and survey oceans and lakes with the GPS technology they possess. This is highly efficient because it eliminates the need for a surveyor to transport to a specific place, get samples of the water, and examine the entire area of the water step by step to locate any possible agal blooms growing out of control or toxic waste entering the water. There are drones, such as the SplashDrone 4 WQMS, that can fly above the water and land on the water's surface. These drones can dangle a camera to capture the underwater surroundings or a cup to sample the water. After floating on the water’s surface, the drone can propel itself upward to return to land or shore. This allows the surveyor controlling the drone to have footage of the water and a sample of the water to test. Since drones can fly at a high altitude, they can also capture aerial photos of the water’s surroundings to examine any potential dangers or issues. Because drones have the ability to see the area around them by flying high. Especially in remote areas where it is dangerous or difficult for a person to go, this technology can be highly useful.
In addition, many drones can be equipped with specialized sensors that can measure the water’s temperature, pH levels, and salinity. As this process replaces the steps required for a person to transport the sampled water to their lab, run multiple tests, and get more samples if needed, this technology ensures that the water surveys and monitoring are highly accurate and efficient. These drones can then be programmed to fly autonomously, which means no person needs to operate them in order for them to go to a place to survey the waters. This can be practiced when a surveyor is trying to test samples of water from a specific area repeatedly over a long period of time. By doing so, water surveying and monitoring can be made more accessible, which in turn can improve water quality and yield valuable information.
Many forms of water pollution begin with one area of polluted water flowing into another area of water. For example, when there is a polluted river or lake entering the ocean through waterways. With drones, they can survey the area from above and map the topography as well as the different waterways. As these areas get mapped and monitored, surveyors can determine the best action to take from there. In conclusion, drones can be resourceful tools for monitoring and surveying the water, ensuring water safety effectively.
Advantages of Monitoring Water Pollution Through Drones
Monitoring water pollution through drones offers a promising solution to the pressing problem of environmental degradation caused by industrial waste and oil spills, among other pollutants. Traditional methods of water monitoring can be laborious, time-consuming, and costly. In contrast, drones equipped with advanced technology provide a more efficient and cost-effective approach. By deploying drones with GPS capabilities, surveyors can instantly locate and survey oceans, lakes, and rivers without the need for physical presence at each location. Drones like the SplashDrone 4 WQMS are specifically designed to land on the water's surface, capturing underwater footage and sampling water for testing.
The benefits of using drones in water pollution monitoring are substantial. First and foremost, drones offer rapid response capabilities, enabling quick deployment to potential pollution incidents. This immediate action can prevent further contamination and minimize environmental damage. Moreover, drones equipped with specialized sensors can measure various water parameters, such as temperature, pH levels, and salinity, providing highly accurate and real-time data. This data is crucial for making informed decisions and implementing effective pollution control strategies.
Beyond the efficiency and accuracy of data collection, drones also enhance safety and accessibility during water monitoring operations. Some water bodies may be hazardous or challenging for human surveyors to access, but drones can effortlessly fly over these areas, mitigating risks to human life. Additionally, drones can cover vast areas of water bodies in a short amount of time, ensuring comprehensive coverage and identifying pollution hotspots more effectively.
Future of Water Pollution Monitoring with Drones
By leveraging drone technology, water monitoring becomes more efficient, cost-effective, and less hazardous for surveyors. The ability of drones to swiftly deploy to polluted areas, equipped with specialized sensors, ensures rapid response and real-time data collection, enabling immediate actions to mitigate contamination risks.
However, as with any emerging technology, challenges need to be overcome to fully harness the potential of drones in water pollution monitoring. Improving drone battery life and flight range will extend monitoring capabilities, especially in vast and remote water bodies. Ensuring sensor accuracy and calibration remains a priority to obtain reliable and consistent data for informed decision-making. Additionally, developing a standardized regulatory framework for drone usage is crucial to ensure compliance with aviation and environmental protection laws.
Despite these challenges, ongoing research and development efforts in drone technology offer hope for the future of water pollution monitoring. Advancements in autonomous capabilities, increased payload capacity for advanced sensors, and efficient data processing and analysis techniques are already underway. As drones continue to evolve, they hold the potential to revolutionize water monitoring practices, safeguarding precious water resources for future generations, and contributing to global environmental conservation efforts.
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