UK Initiative Uses Drones to Detect Plastic Waste on British Beaches

The data collected by the drones are uploaded onto Zooniverse so that others can mark areas where plastic is found to help make cleanup efforts more efficient.

Waste360 Staff, Staff

March 31, 2017

1 Min Read
Waste360 logo in a gray background | Waste360

In an effort to track plastic waste dumped into the ocean, Ellie Mackay and Peter Koehler are teaching drones to detect plastic waste on British beaches. The data collected by the drones are uploaded onto Zooniverse so that others can mark areas where plastic is found to help make cleanup efforts more efficient.  

One of the most common uses of drones in the solid waste and recycling industry has been to take aerial photos or videos of facilities. Within large solid waste and recycling facilities, drones can photograph areas that are less accessible to allow troubleshooting. But that’s only the beginning of what these tools might be able to do for the industry. Industry experts are predicting that over the next few years, drones and other technologies will continue to reshape the industry.

 

 

Deutsche Welle has more information:

Millions of tons of plastic are dumped into the ocean each year. But where does it end up? A UK initiative is deploying drones to find out.

Read the full story here.

About the Author

Stay in the Know - Subscribe to Our Newsletters
Join a network of more than 90,000 waste and recycling industry professionals. Get the latest news and insights straight to your inbox. Free.

You May Also Like