Aquality Halmstad

The idea is to use a drone to take samples from waterways, helping in a simple and effective way to achieve cleaner lakes, rivers and seas. The water samples can be analysed, for example, to detect pollutants.

With today’s methods, mapping water quality is resource-intensive, as it usually requires people to travel out, collect samples and then bring them back to a laboratory for analysis. In larger bodies of water, sampling can be even more complicated, as water quality may vary over time, meaning that samples often need to be collected on several occasions.

The Aquality system simplifies this process. By using drones, it is possible to collect samples and gather high-quality data in real time without anyone needing to be present at the water site. Being able to take water samples, for example at the very first wave of pollution from stormwater or acidification from forests, is highly valuable.

The Aquality system consists of three different drones: one airborne, one platform operating at the water surface, and one underwater drone that can dive and collect samples from deeper levels. The drone can gather data every second, all year round. It also measures multiple parameters such as temperature, pH, phosphorus and turbidity.

With the help of the water samples collected, municipalities, county administrative boards and municipal companies responsible for water, as well as water councils, can gain a better understanding of local water systems, and thus make better, more environmentally friendly decisions. Many different factors affect water quality. Agriculture, industry, road traffic and other activities all contribute to increased sediment and nutrient leakage from fertilised fields, which ends up in waterways and causes eutrophication.

There is a high level of water pollution in the Nissan river, which flows through Halmstad. It is not recommended to eat fish caught in the river. In this project, researchers will use the Aquality drone to measure which substances are present in the water and then recommend measures to reduce pollution levels.

Aquality brings together several different scientific disciplines, which is highly valuable. The project group welcomes students from all subject areas, not only the technical fields. There is room for everyone, and all can contribute with important and exciting perspectives.