Rotterdam Tests In-Water Drones
The Port of Rotterdam is pioneering a new technology it says will make the port smarter: a water drone.
According to MANA, The AquasmartXL is a small, unmanned boat, equipped with a camera. It sends images in real time to the quay, providing a flexible solution for surveillance and inspection from the water surface.Another recent example of innovation at the port is the Waste Shark. The device, the size of a passenger car, has an ‘open mouth’ that is located at 35 centimetres below the water surface used to remove up to 500 kilograms (1,100 pounds) of waste from the water. The waste is then processed.
For the next six months, four waste sharks will perform a test run for the Port of Rotterdam Authority to clean up litter in the Rotterdam docks.
The water drones active in the port are among the results of the Innovation Eco System.