In Breda, you can sometimes see a shark swimming through the canals. Not a real one of course, but a mechanical one. Meet the WasteShark: a smart water drone that scoops up waste from the water and in the future should even be able to navigate the city autonomously. We spoke with Breda Robotics to find out how this special ‘shark’ is making Breda cleaner step by step.

The WasteShark was not originally invented in Breda. The water drone comes from Rotterdam and was developed by RanMarine Technology. However, the idea to actively use it in Breda arose after King's Day. It caught our attention how much waste was left in the canals afterwards. Marvin from Breda Robotics explains: “We wanted to find a way to keep the canals clean. At the same time, we saw this as an opportunity to apply our innovations to an existing robot and integrate robotics into the everyday cityscape. That’s how this project came about.”

The birth of the Breda WasteShark

Breda Robotics collaborates with various educational institutions in the city, such as Avans and Curio, to make the WasteShark smarter and more user-friendly. Students contribute ideas about the drone's autonomy, but also on the practical side: how to get such a device safely and easily into the water?

Always one step further

Marvin van Diemen

The goal is for the WasteShark to eventually be able to navigate the canals entirely autonomously, collect debris, and be easily launched into the water via a mobile lift. “At the moment, there are two locations in Breda where we can launch the WasteShark into the water,” Marvin explains. “We work year-round with various students from the city. Students from the mechatronics course at Curio are developing a mobile lift. And students in Technical Informatics at Avans are focusing on the autonomous aspect.”

What does the future look like for the WasteShark? The project runs until the end of 2026. Until then, Breda Robotics will continue testing and further developing it together with students from the city. Marvin expects that the WasteShark will then have a permanent place in Breda: “The project has an official end date, but of course we hope that the WasteShark will really become a part of the cityscape. It shows Bredenaars how useful robotics can be for a city. And of course, it also helps keep the canals clean.”

Part of the Breda cityscape

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A shark in the canals? Meet the WasteShark