UAE gets its first-ever floating waste collector drone, PixieDrone. It is fitted with a video camera and remote sensing LIDAR technology and can access small areas and spaces, as it helps sort waste, including organic waste, plastics, glass, metal, paper, cloth, rubber and more. Launched by Dubai Harbour, PixieDrone is a first-of-its-kind mobile waste collector.
The drone has a 160-litre collection capacity, up to six hours of operation in autonomous mode and is fully compatible with salt water and fresh water. Introduced by The Searial Cleaners, PixieDrone is approximately 1.62 metres long by 1.15 metres wide and is relatively compact when compared to other clean-up robots.
The PixieDrone functions as a remotely operated drone designed to detect and remove floating debris from the surface of water. It identifies the debris, obstructs its movement, and then stores it in a large holding tank for later disposal through alternative methods. Its incorporation into Dubai Harbour serves as a valuable resource for addressing and cleaning up litter and neglected waste throughout the United Arab Emirates' coastal areas and waters.