Remote-controlled drones to monitor sea pollution

Oman has launched a pioneering project to use a fleet of remote controlled drones to monitor oil leaks and other chemical pollution along the Sultanate's coasts.

The research is led by Dr Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maashari, Head of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at Sultan Qaboos University, and is funded through the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, and Innovation's crowdfunding programme.

The goal is to provide effective solutions for monitoring marine pollution given the heavy shipping traffic along Oman’s shores and the Strait of Hormuz.

Oman's unique and highly significant geography, with constantly busy coastlines, faces frequent leakages from ship engines threatening its marine environment.

The Omani team has been exploring automated systems to replace current methods for detecting pollution, which are slow and costly.

The new project relies on an advanced system of remote sensing and artificial intelligence to detect oil leaks as they occur.

This system enables the drones to coordinate their movement and position  to ensure comprehensive coverage of targeted areas.

Each drone is equipped with thermal cameras supported by AI algorithms to detect temperature variations, making it easier to identify oil pollutants in hot climates, even with as little as a two-degree difference in temperature.

Field trials along Oman’s coasts have demonstrated the system’s effectiveness, showing it can pinpoint leaks and assess their size immediately.

It also generates maps that provide authorities with a faster and more cost effective tool to respond to threats to Oman’s marine environment.