Drones to Record for Catalog of Shore-Based Waste Plastic

DJI will lend its expertise to AnimaMundi Ocean Data Solutions and catamaran manufacturer Lagoon to use drones as the organizations build the first comprehensive database of plastic waste on coastlines as part of the fight to catalog, assess, and hopefully reign in the immense quantity of waste flotsam around the world. 

DJI is providing drones to Lagoon to measure beach waste around the Carribean. Beginning with flights operated by sailors at the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers in Las Palmas, Canary Islands, the drones will gather images for AnimaMundi's automated processing to measure the scope of plastic waste pollution faster, better, and more safely than before. The collection of data by drone and air mitigates traditional ground level, hands-on recording by leveraging higher-altitude photography, as well as diminished setup time when flying from a single base of operations. 

Integrating artificial intelligence, computer vision, and object recognition technologies, AnimaMundi's software automates a great deal of the process of recording, evaluating, and cataloging the presence and number of plastic waste bottles on shores in real time. Once gathered, the information will be made available to those involved in ocean health projects and research to build interventions that have measurable impact for the funding invested. 

Matt Cooper, founder and CEO, AnimaMundi is driven by the need for accurate real time data to ensure investment decisions are made correctly with measurable impact. He said; “Just before COP26 began, world leaders admitted that an annual $100-billion climate finance goal will not be reached until 2023. The need for urgent climate action is met with the need to ensure adequate and effective financing solutions. Big data like this will help to determine priorities for action.”           

Olivier Mondon, Senior Communication Manager at DJI Europe, said: “Our drones and cameras empower people to capture amazing photos, video, and high-end professional imagery in every corner of the world. Each day, we learn how drones benefit society as a whole, and we are proud to have our drones embark on this environmental journey with experienced sailors who will be able to work using repurposed products to enable invaluable data capture.”

FMI: www.dji.com