You hear the word Shark and instinctively you want to make a run for it. Before you make a run from this page, we want to assure you that there is nothing scary about this article. Haha, scaredy-cat! On the other hand, for the wastes perambulating our waters, there is a new marine in town; and it's called Wasteshark. Wasteshark Water Drone was developed by Ranmarine, a Dutch company founded in 2016. According to the company's website, Wasteshark Water Drone "will eat plastics and other litter; detect chemicals in the water; extract alien and pest vegetation." Just like many of you reading this article, our initial concern was for the wildlife that swim the waters. Dronescend started investigating and we found that Wasteshark Water Drone has been thoroughly tested with positive results, proving that fishes and birds generally swimming away from the vessel.
Just like the DJI Mavic 2 Pro, Ranmarine has fitted an obstacle avoidance functionality, making it easy to spot objects and adjust its position accordingly. Wasteshark Water Drone can 'shark up' wastes for 16 hours a day, while collecting and transmitting data from the water. WasteShark collects data such as pH balance, salinity, depth, and temperature. With the ability to scoop up around 200 litres (440 lbs) of rubbish before it requires a clear out, this water drone has proven itself to be a true 'shark'. It has a GPS signal, giving users the opportunity to control the device with a remote control or setting it to automate by plotting.
PARTNERSHIP
Wasteshark garnered its inspiration from the giant whale shark, with the name and shark-like mouth that scoops up any wastes that comes its way. With the support of a local partner, Ecocoast, the water drone was officially launched in Dubai Marina Yatch Club on 10th October 2018.
BENEFIT TO THE ENVIRONMENT
According to National Geography, there are 5.25 trillion pieces of trash in our ocean, of which 269,000 tons are floating on the surface, causing problems for the wildlife. Majority of the waste in the ocean comes from, canals, ports, marinas, waterways and coasts. With the help of Wasteshark, they can be scooped up and recycled before getting in the ocean. We should all play our part in reducing wastes; thanks to Wasteshark, the ocean is now a dangerous place for plastic and garbages.
WHAT NEXT?
Only time will tell what's next for this Waste Eating 'Shark' Drone. Unlike the Gladius Mini Underwater Drone, this is not a drone that will be bought by individuals; this already reduces the playing field. Wasteshark Water Drone is determined to clean our water, so perhaps profit is not Ranmarine's ultimate goal. However with prices starting from around £15,000, that is an arguable statement. With the help of governments and sustainable organisations around the world, Wasteshark Water Drone has the potential to make an impact in cleaning our water. The success of the drone is dependent on the approval of local authorities and their willingness to pay RanMarine for this incredible drone.
If you think Wasteshark is the only "fish" in the sea, think again! BluePhin is another player with "a smart robot that can collect floating waste in commercial water bodies". It will be interesting to see whether this is a market that DJI is also considering, given their strategic launch of Osmo Action Camera to compete with GoPro.
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