Autonomous boat for cleaning water surfaces
A small boat that sails autonomously and collects floating waste with a conveyor belt, sending its location, bin status, and battery level to an app the operator follows remotely.
The problem
Cleaning dams, ponds, and canals in Jordan relies on workers in manual boats — slow, costly, and dangerous work. Floating waste also clogs pumps and harms aquatic life. The boat works every day without human input, covering a larger area at a much lower running cost.
How it works
- NavigationA GPS module with a compass determines the boat's position, and the controller steers it to preprogrammed waypoints.
- CollectionA front conveyor belt pulls in floating waste and drops it into the rear bin.
- MonitoringA sensor measures how full the bin is, and water-quality sensors send their readings to the app.
- BackWhen the bin is full or the battery is low, the boat returns to its starting point automatically.
Project features
- It combines three fields in one project: autonomous navigation, robotics, and IoT.
- A real environmental application — committees value projects that tackle real problems.
- A visible, convincing result: the boat sails and collects waste in front of the committee in a small water tank.
- It can be extended with a camera and machine learning to identify types of waste.
- A rare field: few students work on water robots.
Parts
All the parts you need in one place. Remove what you already have, and swap parts to fit your budget. Parts with a photo are available in our store at their current price.
Prices are estimates and may change. Parts marked “other supplier” are ordered outside our main store.
Expected challenges
These are the main obstacles to expect during the build, laid out clearly so you know them before you start.
- Waterproofing the electronics — the most important aspect and the most common reason the project stalls.
- Load balance: the boat must stay stable as it fills with waste.
- GPS accuracy on open water, and drift caused by currents.
- Battery drain when running two motors and a conveyor belt at the same time.
The consultation gives you a solution for each one.
Expected committee questions
Prepare your answers in advance: these questions come up often in defenses of similar projects.
- How does the boat navigate on its own, and what roles do the compass and GPS play?
- How are the electronics protected from water?
- How does the boat know the bin is full and it needs to return?
- What is the maximum size and type of waste the belt can collect?
Students' experiences
Add a comment on the idea: +2 points. Or share your experience with photos of your build: +10 points. Every 50 points become a JD 5 discount voucher on parts orders.
Need solutions to the challenges and a complete technical path?
In the consultation we give you a solution for each challenge above, plus a practical build plan from the first step to the last: technologies, libraries, wiring diagram, timeline, and tips for the defense.
- Consultation session
- PDF with solutions and a plan
- 20 د.أ فقط